Masquerade
by Resentment
Summary: Simple steps aren't the only dancing rules Ginny will have to follow, but who in the world is leading her?
1. Missing a Step

Author's Note: Hello my fellow readers. I am back with a most unexpected story, and don't worry, my other stories are on their way. I don't make promises I can't do. Their just a tad bit more complicated. (A.K.A. I have no plot bunnies hoping around giving me ideas for them. Maybe some of your stories will help.) Though I must admit this story came to me while watching 'A Cinderella Story' starring Hilary Duff. Hmm, that's quite amusing actually.

Disclaimer: I disclaim any and all characters, settings, and titles. They are all owned by J.K. Rowling & co. My plot, outfits, and characters Mallory & Colleen, are all mine.

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Chapter 1: Missing a Step 

It was a usual year at Hogwarts. The lake was glistening. The students were all in the Great Hall finishing their feasts.The teachers sat up at their table observing the room, and Dumbledore was speaking about the Forbidden Forest being off limits and what not. The Gryffindors sat with the Gryffindors, the Ravenclaws with the Ravenclaws and so on and so forth. And somewhere off in the distance, someone was planning a way to make Harry miserable once again, and to have him drag his two best mates down with him.

Yes, for Ginevra Weasley, this was a normal year. Or so she thought.

Her thoughts were interrupted by something Dumbledore had said.

"This year, I and the rest of the staff have decided that in order for you students to have a ... shall we say better year, there will be a Masquerade Ball." He paused.

Ginny dropped her fork and turned to her Headmaster, noting that she wasn't the only one in a bit of a shock.

"But I do have some rather bad news for the underage students. Seeing as the last activity the staff had put together, featuring all students, went up in flames, quite literally. We have decided that only fifth, sixth and seventh years shall attend." At this a rather large crowd of under aged wizards went into a ruckus over their dilemma.

Ginny had never been so happy to be in fifth year. She couldn't wait to tell her mother so she could get an outfit for ... that's when her heart sank.

With the cost of things lately, including books and such, she knew her mother had very little to go around, let alone buy her an outfit for a Masquerade Ball.

Her first thought was Bill, but he wasn't in touch much lately, then Charlie, but he had spent his life savings on Dragon breeding. She wasn't even going to consider Percy at this point. Working for the ministry or not, he was off his rocker for dismissing his own parents. Besides, getting a dress from them would only mean that she would owe them something, and she was not to fond of that thought.

A slight grin reached her features, however, when she thought of her older twin brothers new business. Yes, her help in their shop over the summer did make a bit of an opportunity to beg them for some galleons to buy a costume. If that didn't work, she could always just manipulate them. She had learned from the best.

While eating some of the chicken on her plate, she reached into her school bag, pulled out a bit of parchment, some ink, and a quill that she could write a letter with. Once finished doing so she turned to Ron and asked him if she could use Pig.

"What for?" came Ron's crude answer, as he stared at his younger sister with a bit of a quizzical look. She grimaced.

"To send something you loon, what else?" He gave her another quizzical look that didn't work to well with the noodle stuck to his chin, when Hermione leaned over.

"Just remember that the password to the common room is 'Shrieking Shack'." She said with a bit of a smile.

"Shrieking shack?" asked Ron as Ginny got up to go.

"Well, next time you come up with the password then!"

-!-

Ginny entered the Owlery with a bit of a sigh as she found pig and tied the parchment to him. The bird was quite content with delivering the message and flew off without even so much as a hoot. She watched as the bird flew off and then to turned to leave, only to bump into someone coming up the stairs.

This sudden movement sent her off balance and she flailed her arms around trying to catch it. She gasped and missed the edge of the top step, sliding down and hitting the next step and the next. She would have kept going down the stairs if a pair of arms hadn't shot out and stopped her descent of doom. Leveling her on the third-to-top step to keep her from falling again, her rescuer spoke up. Had Ginny not been completely dazed she would have recognized him right away, but seeing as she still thought she was falling, she skipped the part of caring.

"That might've been tragic." Came a cool voice. She only had a second to see him before he was off to a black owl in the top most corner of the Owlery. With her mind spinning, Ginny started at a run all the way back to Gryffindor.

It wasn't until Ginny was safely in the Gryffindor Common Room that she realized who she had just run into. Draco Malfoy.


	2. And Quick Turn

Author's Note: Much longer chapter, that is definitely needed here. I'm starting to love this story!

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Chapter 2

And Quick Turn...

Ginny shuddered furiously at herself. How could she have lost all composure in enough time to not only make herself look like a klutz, but also be touched by such vermin that is a Malfoy. Had she no pride in her family, her house, herself?

Of course, that was silly, she had tons of pride in herself, and family. Even her house, if she were ever to have to take it that far, and on many occasions, including Quidditch, she had.

Ah, now those were good thoughts of Malfoy. Seeing his face in pain over losing every match he ever played against Harry. Never once defeated by him. Especially when it ended in such a dramatic show that his whole team would stop talking to him for the week. That was a true sight, even better, when she herself had played him last year and walked away Snitch in hand. Again, leaving the team to their grunts and disgust towards Malfoy.

The thought of his pain stricken face was etched into her mind as she headed up the stairs to her dorm room for a good nights rest.

-!-

Saturday morning came, and Ginny noticed how fast the first week of school flew by, almost too fast. Homework had started ceremoniously the second day as it always did, and she found herself piling over books for the rest of the week. Why did she not remember her fourth year being so hard? Oh, of course, it had slipped her mind. This was an OWL's year. Hurray for her! Not to mention all her friends, who all seemed just as tired as she was at the table during breakfast.

"I'm going straight back to sleep once I finish my toast." Colleen mumbled towards Ginny, and a few of the other girls sitting around her. "If I can even manage to get back up the stairs… Do you think I could levitate myself up them? You know, a little Wingardium Leviosa, and whoosh, right up the steps." She had pulled out her wand for effect, and lifted her goblet of pumpkin juice as she said it. The goblet wobbled menacingly over plates before she set it down again.

"I wouldn't recommend it." Piped up Colin between pieces of a muffin. "I mean, if Filch catches you… well you know how the man gets about using magic in the corridors." he said before turning to the head table where the said man was sitting.

"Colin, have you still not gotten over the weeks detention for using cheering charms on Slytherin's?" Mallory asked him, while patting his shoulder.

"Ha, the detention was nothing! It was the five Slytherin goons waiting for me in the Entrance hall that still gives me nightmares!" he lowered his voice and put down the muffin before giving a huge sigh and looking up again.

"I still think it was brilliant." Colleen said as she got up from her spot at the table. "In fact, if I wasn't so tired, I'd think about re-introducing it on them this year. A little 'Welcome Back' present for them."

"Colleen!" Ginny squeaked as she laid down her fork. "You are dating one of those Slytherin's you detest so much!"

"That doesn't mean I have to like the twats!" Colleen said, as they all followed her out into the Entrance hall and up the stairs. "Not like they don't do it to us." She added and they all made a sudden stop on the second floor steps.

"Boo," Came Shane's voice in an attempt to surprise them allas he put his arm around Colleen and gave her a short kiss.

"Ew." Ginny heard Colin mumble, before making puking noises behind his back.

"Oye, Creevey. Don't make me have to duff you up again. Eh... Ow!" Colleen punched Shane in the stomach playfully to get Shane to close his mouth. Though playful to Coll was not necessarily so playful.

"Only she would be able to get away with dating a Slytherin and being a Gryffindor." Mallory mumbled to Ginny and Colin. The two nodded their heads in agreement as Colleen turned to leave them, taking an agitated Shane with her.

"Hey, Colls? What about going back to sleep?" Ginny asked over her shoulder as she watched the two descend the steps. Colleen shrugged.

"I'll get rest later." She said, and disappeared down the steps. She popped back up again when she had forgotten her plans with Ginny and Maller's, as she so lovingly calls Mallory, that evening. "Hey, gals, I'll see you all around six, alright? We'll team up on Flitwick's paper? 'kay?"

"That is just too weird for me." Colin said while shaking his head.

"What? Colleen missing sleep or her dating a Slytherin?" Mallory asked with a hint of humor in her voice.

"Dating a Slytherin. Although, her missing sleep is a bit odd as well." Colin said as he pretended to think over it.

"Well, you can't stop love." Ginny mumbled as they all headed toward the Gryffindor common room. Colin and Mallory glanced at each other before Colin said the password and they all stepped into Gryffindor.

"Hey, on another subject, anyone excited about the Masquerade ball?"

-!-

_No big deal,_ Ginny thought a half a week later while she was sitting in Herbology.

_A run in with Draco Malfoy is common for a Weasley. Malfoy comes, says something stupid, I comment back in a much nastier tone, and he threatens me. Then, I walk away shaking my head. It was a normal routine. But something about this encounter was off. He...oh for crying out loud he SAVED me!_

That's what got Ginny the most. He HAD saved her from possible injury, and then walked away, like it was an everyday routine to do so. _What was wrong the stupid git? Why couldn't he have let me fall on my ass, and walk away laughing like he was suppose to..._

_No, I need to stop thinking about this and focus on the little puffy plant-thing in front of me. Whatever it is._

"Colin? What is this?" Ginny leaned over and asked her dear friend. He shrugged and pointed to the book in front of him.

"If you can pronounce that I'll give you a galleon." Colin mumbled back while shaking his head. Ginny stared at the name for a few minutes, intent on taking Colin up on that bet.

"La Hibou Plante?" Ginny said aloud catching the attention of Professor Sprout.

"Very good dear, take ten points for Gryffindor. Now, La Hibou Plante or Owl plant, as it means in french is a very old plant among the western-" Ginny blocked out Professor Sprout again as she turned to Colin.

"You owe me." she whispered with a smile.

"Later." Colin mumbled back and both their attentions were turned the to the plant.

-!-

Colleen laughed full hardily as the gang, one of Colleen's nicknames for the four Gryffindor's, all headed up to Transfiguration. She and Mallory were both taking Ginny's hair in strands, and trying to get out a good amount of goo.

Apparently, the Hibou Plante had a very nasty temper, and when you feed it wrong, it tends toget a bit miffed. Ginny hadn't figured that out until it shot out the blue goo straight at her face. Lucky for her, she had turned her head in time, and it merely got in her hair. She was thankful it wasn't poisonous.

Professor Sprout had, then, decided to make it worse by having her be used as an example of what not to do unless attempting to extract the goo for the healing potions that they were rumored to be making in Snape's class. Rumored, was a nice way of saying to everyone, make sure you leave with a good amount so Snape doesn't give you a detention or loss of house points for not having any.

Ginny could not be any happier to get out of the class, but soon wished the day would be over so she could go wash her hair.

"Ugh, is it out yet?" Ginny asked trying to see over her shoulder at what they were doing.

"Stop turning your head, this stuff is hard to get out, and it's starting to dry!" Mallory mumbled out as she forced Ginny to turn her head and keeping walking towards the school.

"Who feeds plants anyways?" Ginny exclaimed.

"It's not that bad, Gin. There's much less now." Colin said obviously trying not to laugh at her situation. "Hey Mall, why don't you try a cleaning charm. You know, like something for...I don't know. Curtains?"

"Colin! Are you trying to imply that my hair is like a curtain?" Ginny yelled and yanked her head out of Maller's and Coll's hands to glare at him.

"Ah! Brilliant idea, C-dude!" Colleen said pulling out her wand. Ginny's eyes widened and she turned to Colleen in shock.

"What?" Ginny said frantically.

"C-dude, you know. Short for Colin. I couldn't exactly call him Col, could I? We'd get confused. I like it. He's C-dude, I'm-" Ginny cut her off.

"No, no, no, not about the nickname. Though weird. I meant about my hair being cleaned like a curtain!" Ginny yelled and threw her hands into the air. Before she got a response though, Colleen and Mallory spun her around as Colleen said a charm that instantly cured her problem.

"There, all better!" Colin said with an approving smile as he looked it over. Ginny felt the back of her hair as they all started to walk into the school's Entrance hall.

"Huh." Ginny said in a surprised, yet, happy tone. "It's gone. How'd you know that work?" Ginny asked her friends in astonishment.

"Well, if I can get glue out The Common Room's curtains, I was pretty sure I could do it to your hair, as well." Colleen said with a shrug as she pocketed her wand again.

"Yeah, I guess." Ginny said still stroking her hair. "It even feels cleaner!" she blurted with a pleased look.

"What's that, Weasley? Just figure out how to work a shower? That shanty house of yours not have any?" Draco said with a smirk placed clearly across his face. He stood with his two goons directly beside him as if they had practiced the stance. Ginny could just imagine it now.

"Bugger off, Malfoy." Colleen blurted from behind Ginny in her defense. "Not everyone has to take twelve showers a day like you do."

"Twelve, eh? Been thinking about me in the showers, have you?" His smirk seemed never ending as he stared at the group in front of him. Ginny couldn't help but notice that Malfoy seemed a bit smug about himself lately. She realized she had been staring and diverted her eyes instantly, as his fell upon her own.

"As much as I would love to continue this rant, girls." Draco made a point to look at Colin as he said it. "I actually rather be listening to one of Snape's lectures." He turned on a beat started to head towards the Dungeons.

Colleen rolled her eyes as Malfoy walked away from the group, but stopped when she thought of Shane. She yelled after Malfoy as the rest of the gang headed up to Transfiguration.

"Hey, Malfoy. Tell Shane to meet me after classes. Will you?" she said with a smile at him before winking and running after her friends.

"Oh, but of course." Draco said with a malicious grin.


	3. Right foot back

_Masquerade_

_Chapter 3_

_Right foot back, Left foot side, Close_

"Dear Gin-Gin,

Our adorable little sister! How have you been? It seems like years since we last saw one another. Fred and I are doing quite well here at our shop, and we seem to be bringing in more customers every day. Were so glad to hear from you, and were very pleased that you were _so concerned _about our well being. We were sure that somewhere between the lines "Please help me out, I need a dress" and "You know you owe me one" there was a moment were you paused and thought, "I hope that they are doing all right." We would love to help you out, but it seems a certain dress that you would like is worth more then the ten days you helped us out. But Fred and I put our heads together and decided that there would be a way for you to make up the last bit. The first box is a few of our new items, nothing poisonous. We wouldn't want to kill our only sister, would we? Anyway, just test the few items and send us a letter back, and we will decide if we will send the dress or not.

Love always,

Gred and Forge

P. S. The second box is some our special paste if anything unsightly should occur. "

Ginny finished reading the letter aloud to her friends and crossed her arms in a huff staring down at the two boxes in front of her. The gang were all sitting in the Gryffindor Common Room looking over homework and what not, when Ginny had opened her letter.

"Ten days!" Ginny screeched as she threw the letter down. "I was there for three weeks helping the two stock shelves."

"Unsightly?" asked Colleen completely ignoring Gin's outburst. She gave a look of disgust as she thought of what they could mean.

"You can't expect them to just hand the dress over Gin. It's Fred and George for crying out loud!" Colin interjected as he put down his homework and looked over at her. He patted her shoulder in comfort and gave her a weak smile. There was a big banging noise outside the common room, but the four, having gone through Hogwarts with the Twin's always setting things off, ignored the ruckus.

"Yes, and they are my brothers! They should have some sympathy for me. The two had to go through Hogwarts with Bill and Charlie's hand-me downs just like I had Ron's!"

"It amazes me that you don't look ridiculous in his school robes." Colleen said while eyeing Ginny before going back to her History of Magic homework. Mallory glared at Colleen, who was clearly not helping.

"Don't worry, Gin. We'll use the stuff too. That way they can't complain that you didn't give a full report on...whatever is in the box." Mallory offered and Colleen jumped up from her chair.

"I most certainly will not!" Colleen had moved away from the box and stood behind her chair. "I need to finish this stupid essay on 'what lead to the formation of the International Confederation of Wizards' so I can go meet Shane. I don't need _unsightly _marks on my face before I do!"

"Who cares about the International Confederation of Wizards? " Said Colin giving her a confused look.

"Psh, for all you know that's going to be one of the questions on your OWL's and you're going to wish you knew!" Colleen said before grabbing her stuff and moving over to a desk in the corner.

"She is the weirdest person I have ever met," commented Mallory before looking back to Ginny. "Look, Gin. Let's get started on this, all right? The sooner the better." Before Ginny could stop her, Mallory open the box and was shocked to find 15 or so packets all tucked inside. They looked like they had come straight from one of stores' shelf's. They were all wrapped in green plastic paper and had Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes scrolled across them in purple ink. Mallory picked one up and read the label.

"_Chocolate Frog Nightmares, a part of our Daydreamers collection. **These dreams are purely for your enemy. **A five minute dream instantly comes over any person to pop one of these flavorful treats into their mouths. An experience your enemy will never forget. Be warned. These treats may have the same effect of a Dementor._"

"A Dementor? Are they crazy?" Ginny said glancing down and picking up one of the same packages. "Wait. There's a warning on the back. _Side effects include vacant to terrified looks and may make your enemy hate you forever."_

"Something like that would be horrible if you'd ever witnessed something gruesome."Colin said looking to Mallory before shifting through the box to look for something else.

Ginny's mind, however, was still on the Chocolate frog nightmare's, something like that in the hands of someone like...Harry.

-----

"Oi, Shane." Malfoy called out to the fellow Slytherin as he headed for Potion's class.

Shane turned around with a bit of a smile on his face to greet the 'dear' friend. "Yes, Draco?" Shane saw the look in Draco's eyes and quickly dropped the act. "What?' he added for a better effect.

"I hate to be the barer of bad news, friend, but it seems that Colleen has asked me to tell you something of dear importance." He paused and gave his nails a glance. "She said something about feeling it safer to say it threw another person, but she talks so much I blocked out a bit of it.

"It was just about the time that she flipped back her curly brown hair and sighed that she got my attention once again. She finished with something like ' please tell him nicely that I can't see him anymore.' Me, saying it to you straight, that was my idea."

Shane had dropped his books and stepped up to Draco with a menacing quickness.

"Don't fuck with me, Draco. Did she really say that?" Draco stepped back a little bit and smirked.

"On my word as a Slytherin. Her exact words." Draco said as he walked passed Shane's books and into the Potion's classroom.

----

Shane couldn't have been more stressed out as he waited for Snape to dismiss the class at the end of the day. It was mere minutes before class was over and even though Shane was suppose to be copying notes, his desk was clear, and his eyes remand on his watch. He was sure that he knew Colleen's schedule by heart now, and that she was in Transfiguration, which meant that she would go to the bathroom right after class and he could catch up with her there if he ran.

Shane felt like he was about to lose it when Snape stopped his lecture and called for everyone to go. In an instant Shane was out of his seat, bag in hand, and out the door before anyone else. A few seconds later he was up the Entrance hall steps and heading past the Transfiguration class door where he saw that no one was coming out of. Which meant that McGonagal had let the class out early and Colleen was probably leaving the bathroom as he stood there. He smacked his forehead and kept going up the steps like a mad man. He would do anything to catch Colleen now so he could talk to her. They were suppose to be meeting an hour before dinner, but if she was breaking up with him, she probably wouldn't show. He didn't think he could wait that long to speak with her anyway.

He stopped outside the third floor bathroom where she should have been, but met an empty hall. Just his luck, a first year girl came out of the bathroom.

"Hey, was there anyone else in that bathroom?" Shane asked the girl, but she shook her head.

"Just me," the girl squeaked out before scurrying off.

"Damn," Shane mumbled under his breath and continued up the steps thinking he could catch her before she returned to her common room.

He got to the door just as it closed and the Fat Lady gave his Slytherin robes a glare.

"You're not aloud in here!" she yelled before crossing her arms.

"But I need in!" Shane pleaded.

"To disturb the peace. I think not! Go away!" The Fat Lady yelled back. Shane banged his fists against the painting trying to knock on the wall behind it. "What are you doing?" The Fat Lady asked as she moved out of the way of his blows.

"Trying to get someone to come out so I can get in!" he said and kept banging.

"Uh! How rude!" The Fat Lady grimaced and left the picture frame to talk with her neighbor. Shane hit the wall one last time and waited, but no one came.

"Damn!" Shane yelled and headed back to the Slytherin common room.

-----

Colleen finished her essay as she ignored the banter of her friends behind her. She smiled as she re-read her work and then stuffed it into her bag. She heard her friends start giggling madly and turned to them.

"What has got you guys all in a fit?" she asked picking up on of the wrappers, and half glance at Mallory who was covering her mouth like it was suddenly blue. "What's wrong with your mouth?" Mallory pulled her hand back from her mouth and smiled a wide grin. One that didn't belong to her.

"There's these lips things." Ginny joked with laughter as she spoke. "One makes you kiss your true love and the other one makes your teeth enormous!" She pointed at Mallory to emphasizes what she meant.

Colin was on the floor rolling with laughter and couldn't seem to find the time to talk.

"Well, I hope you three have fun with those. I'm going to be upstairs getting ready to meet Shane." Colleen said and headed for the girls dormitory.

"But you have an hour!" Ginny yelled up the steps.

"Exactly!"

Colin sat up finally and grabbed a package out of the box. "Okay my turn." he said and put the wax lips to his own where they slowly formed perfectly. Colin smiled widely as he waited for his teeth to grow, but with no such luck.

"Uh, they don't work." Colin said before turning from Ginny to Mallory to see her teeth. Colin didn't exactly know what was happening next as he was forced violently forward and his lips connected to Mallory's.

Ginny sat back in shock as she looked between the two, who's lips seemed to be glued together. She looked away from them blushingly and grabbed the wrapper Colin had just tossed aside.

"Aww! Colin! These are the Lovely lips! The ones that make you kiss your true love, not the teeth growing ones!" She smiled at her two friends as there lips broke apart finally.

"What?" Mallory said as she wiped her mouth and removed the fake wax lips she was wearing. She grabbed the wrapper out Ginny's hand and glanced up at Colin. "Uh...but...does...What?" Her eyes were locked on Colin who was looking bashfully ashamed at the ground.

"I'm going to leave you two alone." Ginny said and got up to go to her dorm room.

Mallory nodded, but her eyes never left Colin. It wasn't until the common room was completely empty, including the few second years who were walking through, that she spoke up.

"You like me?"


	4. Dancing All Alone

(A/N: I know, I know! I'm dragging you guys along with the love life of Colleen and Shane. I know it doesn't seem very important to you guys since this is a Draco/Ginny story, but it does play into what goes on with Ginny and Draco! I promise! You have my word as a bad...er...well written writer.)

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**Chapter 4: Dancing All Alone**

Shane paced the length of hall outside the library as he waited for Colleen. He's head was spinning with questions on 'why' and 'when' and 'for what reason?' He had spent the last hour of his life trying to convince himself that she would come tonight to explain herself. These thoughts leaving him to think of what he would do to keep his composure when the time of truth came. Almost to the second the clock stroke six thirty, Shane heard heels coming around the corner and braced himself for a battle he wished he didn't have to fight.

A bright smile crept across Colleen's face as she spotted Shane waiting for her.

"Hey, Sha-" Colleen hadn't even got through his name when she realized something was up with him, he was slouched, and he looked worried. "Are you alright?" She asked a bit put off by his appearance. This was suppose to be their six month anniversary.

"No," Shane snapped back and gave her a bit of a glare. "How can you even ask that?" he asked staring intently at her.

"You seem bugger-ed by something, I just wanted to know what." Colleen didn't even have to time to cross her arms as Shane laughed at her and pulled her towards him, leaving her off balance. His demeanor changed suddenly and Colleen found herself looking up into dark, cold eyes. Her back was leaning against the wall outside the library and she was starting to wonder if it was her that had set him off.

"Why the hell are you breaking up with me?" Shane asked suddenly.

"What?"

"You heard me, why?"

"Shane, I'm not breaking up with you, what would make you think that I'm...Oh." Colleen stopped and looked down at the floor.

"Yeah, oh!"

"Shane, I didn't...I mean, I wouldn't- I'm not the kind of person who would do... THAT with you, and then leave you. I'm not that kind of girl."

"What?" Shane asked a bit confused on what she meant, by-. Then it dawned on him.

"No, not that. I meant what you told Draco."

"Draco?"

"He said that you wanted to see other people, or something a long those lines." Shane looked to the floor as he scratched the back of his head.

"Shane! I would never break up with you through Draco! That would be sadistic, and cold-hearted." Colleen said as she tried to look him in the eyes. Finding the task quite hard to do. "Why would you believe him?"

"Well, he just seemed so pumped about it, I believed him. The stupid wanker! When I get my hands on him I'll-" Colleen cut Shane off with a kiss and gave him a big grin.

"Hey now, Isn't this supposed to be an anniversary, shouldn't we be celebrating?" Colleen asked and Shane snapped out of his thoughts.

"Oh, yes! Well let's go outside then shall we?" Shane took Colleen's hand in his and the two started there way out to the grounds.

"Oh, and Shane."

"Yes?"

"Just so you know, for future reference. If I was going to break up with you," Colleen paused for effect. "I would tell you to your face how much of an asshole you are." Shane was a little taken back by this.

"Really? Why would I be the asshole? Hmm?"

"You'd deserve the truth."

-!-

Wednesday morning came and Ginny couldn't help but smile as she caught Colin and Mallory walking arm in arm together to breakfast. She leaned over to Colleen and whispered to her.

"It's about bloody time!" Ginny smirked at her own words as she headed down the Entrance hall steps.

"Right!" Colleen answered back.

"Just look at them all hanging on to one another!"

"Those two are adorable!" Colleen commented before spotting her own boyfriend at the end of the staircase and making her way toward him. "Be right back." She told Ginny. Ginny nodded in understanding and fell into her own thoughts for a bit. She couldn't help but notice that she didn't have anyone walking arm in arm with her or anyone waiting for her at the end of the staircase. She sighed. It wasn't that big of deal. She just felt very...alone.

Ginny was brought out of her thoughts when she reached into her pocket and her a wrapper crinkle. She pulled out the mysterious item only to realize that it was one of the Nightmare Chocolate Frog's and an old note. She must have missed this one when she was putting away the "treats" last night. She shrugged it off and headed into the Great hall, past the couples.

Once inside she spotted Hermione and ran over to her side sitting down. "Morning, 'Mione!" Ginny gave Hermione a big smile which was returned twice full by her friend.

"Good morning, Ginny. How have you been? I haven't seen you since the summer Hols. You've been keeping up with your homework haven't you? Not behind like you're brother?" Hermione asked eagerly.

"Of course I've been on it. I'm not stupid Hermione." Ginny paused and thought about the rest of the question before answering. "For the most part I'm alright, I guess. Though I've been having some friend issues."

"What do you mean?" asked Hermione full attention wise.

"Well, I've very recently noticed that my friends all have boyfriends will I'm stranded walking along by myself. Well, I really shouldn't be complaining, because it has just happened this morning, but still. I feel kinda left out, ya know?"

Hermione tutted and shook her head. "You know you don't need a man in your life to be successful." Ginny stared at her friend in shock.

"What?"

"You don't need-"

"No, no I got that part Hermione, but I'm just wondering how you can be so hypocritical on a subject like this." Ginny stated and crossed her arms. Hermione frowned at her friend.

"What in the world do you mean? I'm not hypocritical. I have no man in my life and I'm doing fine." Hermione said and took a very grateful bite of her muffin.

"Liar!" Ginny shouted. "You have two guys in your life. One of them is "The Chosen One" and the other is my brother who _you _have a crush on!"

Hermione tutted once more. " I don't not have a crush on him!"

"Please Hermione, if you don't have a crush on him, what color undershorts is he wearing?" Ginny said and cocked an eyebrow. Without missing a beat Hermione answered.

" Well, it's Wednesday, so he must be wearing blue." Hermione gasped and covered her mouth as a malicious grin appeared on Ginny's lips.

"I rest my case!" Ginny said and slammed her hand down on the table before taking a bite of her food.

"Stop smirking like that, Gin, it's reminding me of Malfoy."

"Eh, remind me never to do that again, then." Gin said as she shivered.

-!-

The sun was setting on another Wednesday as two boys bumped into each other in the Slytherin common room. Shane gave Malfoy one of his worst looks as he watched him pick up his books. Malfoy didn't look bothered in the slightest and made it a point to comment his thoughts.

"Oh Shane! I was wondering when I'd see, How are you and Colleen?" Draco asked with a bit of smirk to the curve of his lips.

"Fine, no thanks to _you_!" Shane hissed back. His eyes still fixed on Malfoy's. Malfoy gave a hardy laugh and shifted the weight of the books in his arm.

"Really, there's never a need for thanks, it's all out of the kindness of my heart. Truly!" He patted Shane on the shoulder and walked past him. Shane reacted quickly pulled Draco back forcibly and punched him in the face. Draco raised his hands to protect his face when Shane swung at Draco's stomach and made contact.

"Don't do it again." Shane growled before heading back to his dorm room. The last thing that Draco saw was Shane's eyes spark as he himself headed out into the Dungeons.

"Ass." Draco mumbled as he wiped his face and did a quick repairing charm on himself to stop his nose from bleeding. He didn't need people asking how he got hurt, not when the answer was a kid who was a year younger then him.

* * *

I usually don't leave footie notes, but I just had to point out one of the lines in this chapter. 

_"You know you don't need a man in your life to be successful."_

That was actually something a teacher said to me as I was standing with a few of my friends (Who all happened to have boyfriends hanging on them at the time.) It really bothered me for a few days, so I thought I might as well add it, plus it made for great writing.


	5. Colliding of Hips

(A/N: Ah, some good ole' D/G moments. It's what I live for! Enjoy.)

Chapter 5: Colliding of Hips

_"And I'm on tonight  
You know my hips don't lie  
And I'm starting to feel it's right  
All the attraction, the tension  
Don't you see baby, this is perfection"_

-Shakira & The Refugees

Quidditch had to be Ginny's favorite thing about returning to Hogwarts. Especially since she now played Chaser every game. There was the sad bit that her twin brothers were no longer playing, but she had Ron and Harry. They would have to do.

She swung her leg over her broom to raise herself up and fly a quick lap around the field like the team always did to start off games. She glanced up as she did so to find Draco Malfoy giving her a once over. The thought of it nearly made her fall off her broom as she glanced down quickly at the ground."Crikey," she thought out loud before being brought back to reality by Harry's voice.

"Gin! Get your bum up here!" He yelled down at her. She didn't need anymore encouragement and was in the air in seconds.

The opening seemed to speed by as she entered the Slytherin side of the field and helped assist Shannon, a 5th year girl, in making the first goal. The game stayed close, but Gin was determined to change that. At 60-50, Ginny raced down the pitch nearing the Slytherin goals hoping that Shannon could hold on to the ball long enough. Her attention was drawn completely to Shannon and away from everything around her (including the growled orders a certain Slytherin was throwing at his team. ) She was about to call to Shannon to pass when she heard a familiar voice yell out to her.

"G, watch out!" Ginny was shoved to the side forcefully by Colleen and saw the Bludger just before Colleen swung around and hit the threatening thing back at the other team.

"You all right?" asked Colleen with a bit of a salute.

"Yeah," Ginny yelled as she regained her composure. "Good thing I've got my Beater watching my back." Ginny saluted back and turned her attention back to Shannon. Shannon had been circling the stands trying to get a clear shot, but a tripod of Slytherin chasing her kept her at a good distance. Ginny was off immediately and headed towards the goal post.

"Pass!" Gin called out. Shannon's head jerked left and she gave a good toss of the Quaffle. Ginny caught it with skill and swerved around to shoot.

"Yes!" Gin mumbled as she watched the Quaffle go past the Slytherin Keeper and through the hoop. The second it went through a Slytherin Chaser had the ball in his possession and has headed back up the field.

Shannon, Ginny and Casey, the other Gryffindor Chaser, were all after him immediately. Ginny flew under, Shannon above, and Casey behind the boy trying to distract him. Almost as if it had been planned, Colleen pelted a Bludger right at the Slytherin's upper torso. He dodged it easily, but was left open when Casey knocked the Quaffle from his hands. Gin caught it below, and stopped dead as the Beater's had a sudden tennis match with a Bludger right where she was flying. Avoiding it as best as she could Ginny flew straight up above the mayhem while the other Chaser's dodged threw it, looking for an escape as well.

A sudden electric shock went through the crowd as Ginny's and most everyone else's attention went to the two Seeker's who were having an all out fight in the air over a spec of gold. Gin had to be careful, she was now in the flying zone of the Seeker's and the Quaffle was still in her hands. As she glanced around though, it seemed that everyone's attention was placed merely on the two after the Snitch.

Noting that Gryffindor was already ahead, and as long as she kept the ball in her possession, she decided that she would continue to watch as well. Harry and Malfoy seemed to have it out for each other today as she could see them thrusting hard into each other, hoping that the other would get knocked off course. It was almost like some mesmerizing dance. Ginny didn't like that thought one bit. In seconds, Harry had the lead and was about to wrap his hand around the Snitch when Malfoy threw an elbow into his side.

Ginny cringed "That was completely uncalled for!" Ginny heard some of the people in the crowds call right after. But two of the Slytherin's weren't feeling that way. When one of the two had a Bludger zoom pass their head he was brought back to reality and shoved his meaty friend to get his attention. They formed a plan out of thin air, then chased after the said Bludger. Without any effort at all the one goon had the ball in his control and sent it speeding in Ginny's direction.

Ginny didn't see it coming because of her focus on the Seeker's, but she did hear Casey's warning call as it whizzed past his head. Ginny reacted quickly once she saw it and rolled into a downward tumble on her broom. Her efforts were foiled though as she collided into something. At first, she had thought it was the Bludger, but the she noticed that the object was dressed in a meticulous green, and was quite a lot bigger then a Bludger.

"Oh no," Ginny mentally kicked herself while physically trying to upright herself, but to no avail. She went down with the Slytherin lump and couldn't help wondering which brainless Slytherin had flown under her just as she attempted to miss the Bludger. But she didn't have long to guess which one as she hit the hard ground and felt a long stinging pain crack in her leg.

"Ow." Ginny mumbled as she tried to move, but found her right leg was pinned under a pair of legs and her arm was held down by a torso. Then the blonde hair caught her eyes. Suddenly Ginny took in a deep breath, her lungs filling again. "You've got to be kidding me!" Ginny thought to herself she sat up felt another jab of pain in her leg. She looked down at her arm, and noticed that she was having quite a bit of trouble with that as well.

"Get off me, Weasley." Ginny raised her head up completely to see steeling gray eyes glaring forcefully at her.

"Your on me." Ginny mumbled and she noticed how Draco rolled his eyes before picking himself up with one arm. His movement sent waves of pain through her arm as she suddenly felt the pain it was in. She clutched the arm to her chest and looked up to see one of Malfoy's arms hanging loosely to his side as his good arm was raised to his face, covering his nose. Looking past him, she saw her team landing on the other side of pitch and heading over to her.

"And Harry has once again caught the Snitch! Gryffindor wins 220-50." Came a familiar voice over the speaker system and Ginny could see Malfoy's face turn in disgust at the news. The Gryffindor's cheers took over the stadium as Ginny tried to move again, but her leg kept her down for the count.

"Madame Hooch," Malfoy called out. Malfoy walked over to Hooch just as Ginny was ambushed by her friends. Colin and Mallory had run out onto the field to see if she was okay and behind them, Colleen and Shane were coming up fast.

"Are you okay, Gin?" Mallory asked her before giving her a hug.

"Yeah, just my arm... and my leg." Ginny said lightly. "Other then that, I'm fine." Ginny held her arm close.

"More like bloody brilliant! Gin, that had to be the best thing I've ever seen the way you took out Malfoy so Harry had the one up. Good on you for taking one for the team." Colleen exclaimed as she entwined her hand with Shane's. Even Shane seemed to like it.

"I have to admit, that was a good show. Not to mention how furious the Draco looks, you almost can't tell his nose is broken the way his face is scrunched up."Shane turned everyone's attention to Malfoy and Madame Hooch just as the two were about to make there way past the gang.

Frustrated Madame Hooch turned on Malfoy and gave him a sharp look. "Mr. Malfoy! The 'attempt on your life' as you put it was by no means so. Mrs. Weasley was dodging a Bludger when she collided with you and even if it had been on purpose the ruling would remain the same."

"But she did do it on purpose, and the rules clearly state that no one other than the opposing Seeker can attack a Seeker **_when in race for the Snitch_**." Draco huffed as he cringed from the pain in his nose.

"If a Bludger had come at you and you ducked out of the way as to not get hit, and Mr. Potter had caught the Snitch then it would still be another player attacking the Seeker. Do not coach me on the rules, Mr Malfoy. And that'll be five points from Slytherin for arguing with a teacher!" Madame Hooch stormed off the field as Malfoy followed quietly. There was a silence suddenly from the group.

"Speaking of infirmary." Ginny spoke to break the silence. "Can some one help me up so I go get my arm and leg checked?" Colleen rushed over with Colin, and the two grabbed her good arm and lifted her up. Ginny stopped and took a deep breath as she was helped up into the school.

Ginny couldn't help but smile at herself as she got on the bed in the hospital Wing with her friends and teammates standing around talking about the game. The whole way up to the wing, students were stopping to tell her how amazing her attack was, and how he had definitely had it coming. Though she did feel a great deal of pride for her accomplishments, she felt bad that Gryffindor had won by default. Her default, and it didn't help that he had been sitting across the room, a portion of his leg wrapped up from a large gash, that Ginny didn't remember seeing before, his arm tightly wrapped, and his nose covered in a light blue goo to help it heal. Or at least he was just sitting there, until he had pull his curtain around him. She had tried to listen to what had happened to him, but Ron's epic portrayal of his saves had drowned out Madame Pomfrey's voice.

"Alright, all of you out. I need to mend her wrist and shoulder, before I get to her leg, and then she's going to need a good night's rest. As will you." Madame Pomfrey had said to Draco who was caught red handed trying to get out of his bed. "Sit in that bed right now, or I'll have you permanently stuck to it." A few of the Gryffindor's snickered and Madame Pomfrey made a way for the door and closed it behind them.

"I really suggest you take the sleeping remedy, Mr Malfoy. It will really help the time go by. Now, Mrs. Weasley." She sent her attention to Ginny. "Drink this for your wrist and try and sit up as I get your shoulder fixed up, alright?" Ginny did as she was told and sat up facing Malfoy. He had flung his curtains back this time and was now starring intently at the ceiling. For some reason, Ginny couldn't look away. Madame Pomfrey moved from her shoulder to Ginny's leg, before handing her another glass liquid and telling her to drink it as well. Ginny smiled as the pain in her arm faded away. She could no longer feel the jabbing and gripping the women was doing to her, and as much as she enjoyed the thought, she didn't like the light headed feeling she was getting.


	6. Two Left Feet

A/N: Sorry about the long wait...I actually hate it when people start their chapter with that. Oops.

* * *

Chapter 6: 

Two Left Feet

An odd sort of prickle was forming in Ginny's stomach as she opened her eyes. The room she was in was quite dark, and she couldn't place where she was, though for some reason it looked familiar. She stood, trying to find her wand, or some light to help her see. But to no avail. She couldn't see a thing. This made Ginny feel even worse as she wiped her hands off on her school robes. They were wet and dirty for some reason. Yes, this was definitely familiar to her. This was the first floor girls room. In fact, now that she looked around, she could see some of the stalls and a sink. A sink that was open.

Ginny gasped as she stared at it. No, it wasn't possible. The diary was gone now. Their's no way that she could be having these problems again. She doubled checked her hands just to make sure it wasn't blood on them, and to her displeasure, they were covered in it. She screamed suddenly, as if that was all she could, and started to run to the bathroom door to get out. She had to run, had to find someone. Had to find Harry and tell him, or someone who would help her. She yanked at the bathroom door, but it remained shut. No matter how hard she pulled it didn't budge. She searched her clothes again for her wand, even though she some how knew it wasn't there. She was stuck.

"Help!" she screamed through a crack in the door. "Anyone! Please!" But no one came. Her heart beat raced as she searched the bathroom, there was a window somewhere, but looking around she saw none. Instead, she saw the face of her nightmare's. Tom Riddle was standing in front of her. Smiling.

"Dear, are you alright?" he said with sarcasm as his smile turned into a frown. "You don't really want to leave, do you? Not when I have so much planned for your future." Ginny froze. This was not happening. This was a dream, or something. It was trick.

"Stay away from me." Ginny mumbled.

"Oh, I can't do that." Tom said and started to move snakily toward her. She screamed once again as her surroundings started to fade.

* * *

"Oi! Weasley! Stop that!" Ginny gasped as she sat up in her bed in the Hospital Wing. Ginny looked towards Malfoy and jumped a little bit. He was on her bed, holding her shoulders awkwardly. They both stopped for a second and stared at each other until Ginny broke the silence. 

"Malfoy, what are you doing?" she asked innocently. Her chest was still heaving from the nightmare she just had, and by the looks of it, he was trying to wake her up out of it. For that, she was greatful.

"Right." He let go over her and removed himself from her bed, limping a little bit as he stood. He leaned down hard on his leg, and hissed as he fell back on her bed. "Well, your done screaming now, so I'll just be back to my bed..." he mumbled and started his way back over.

"I... was screaming?" Ginny asked as she glanced around the room. She was still a bit taken back by what just happened.

"Yeah, it was probably from the bloody sleeping potion. Pomfrey has a problem with adding too much Beetle's Eye to the mix. A lot actually, and it can cause nightmare's some times." Draco said off handedly. "And nosebleeds." He mumbled as an after thought.

Ginny gripped at her nose, but she felt only her dry skin.

"Sometimes." Draco added, and sat on his bed. "It's why I don't take it anymore. Not from her." He said and leaned back to try to get comfortable.

"Oh, well, er, Thanks. I think." Ginny leaned back into her pillows. It was a dream. Thank Merlin. She never wanted to be in that situation ever again. Not if she could help it. The room grew silent, and Ginny noted that the time on her watch said eight o'clock in the evening. She'd been asleep since two, yet, she still felt tired. "Um, if I fall asleep again, will I have another nightmare?"

"Not likely. You usually work through most of it the first time," Draco said irritably. Apparently, he was enjoying the silence. Ginny nodded in response and turned to look out a window when Madame Pomfrey bustled in. She seemed to be holding a basket full of herbs.

"Sorry dear's, just had to get a few things from the green house." She'd whispered it, just in case one or both were asleep, but since neither were, it was pointless.

"Good your back. Now, can I go?" Draco asked, his arms crossing his chest perfectly, as if it was practiced. Madame Pomfrey seemed amused by the question.

"You get a scratch on your arm, and you want to spend a week here, yet when you truly hurt yourself, you try and run out the door as fast as possible. Though with that leg, I doubt that's possible. Until you can walk the length of this room with no wincing you'll stay. Probably the whole weekend." She walked into her office and shut the door without another word, and Draco sighed loudly.

"Blooming moron." Ginny laughed a little bit at this and crossed her arm as well.

"How many times have you been to the infirmary?" Ginny asked, trying to start a conversation. Silence was never really a friend of hers.

"You ask too many questions, Weasley. You're almost as annoying as your brother." Draco stared directly at the youngest Weasley, and for some reason, this didn't seem to bother her.

"Please, I'm nothing like my brother." Ginny said. Draco nodded.

"Thank Merlin for that. I think I'd rather drink the sleeping potion then have to share a room with him." Ginny raised an eyebrow at his words.

"I know you hate us, Malfoy, but Ron's not that bad." Ginny glanced her bottle of sleeping potion as she said this, and shook her head.

"At least he would be sitting in silence." Draco shot at Ginny, and she huffed. She slid under the covers, and closed her eyes then.

"Fine Malfoy, Good night."

"Yeah." Draco said with no enthusiasm. Then, to his own displeasure, a thought popped into his head.

"Oi, Girl-Weasley." Draco called across the room, and Ginny's head emerged from under her covers.

"It's Ginny."

"Right, Cause that's so much better." Draco mumbled and Ginny frowned at him.

"Is there something you wanted Malfoy or can I go back to pretending to fall asleep?" Ginny asked scathingly.

"Yeah, just wondering. Who's Tom?" Draco asked innocently.

"What d'you mean?" Ginny asked bemused.

"You kept saying. No, it can't be Tom. It's not possible. Tom's gone. Tom's dead." Draco broke there and stayed more to the point. "Is he one of your million brothers or something?"

"No." Ginny said a little took quickly. "He's...never mind." Ginny stopped herself. Mentioning her fears of Tom Riddle A.K.A. Voldemort was not on her list of things to tell Malfoy. In fact, the list consisted of one thing and she had already corrected him on it.

"Well, I'd say boyfriend, but that's highly unlikely." Draco said and found that the corner of the bed stand was much easier to stare at then the Weasley's confused face.

"What are you implying Malfoy?"

"Draco, actually. Since you seem so keen on first names." Draco said taking a glance at her.

"What are you implying." Ginny stopped. "Draco."

"Exactly what I said." Draco answered back.

"You insufferable... Pig. What makes you think that I haven't had a boyfriend?" Ginny asked, but was only answered by Draco's laughter. "No really, _Draco_. Do you honestly think I can't get a boyfriend?" Draco looked up at her face.

"I assume that you're saving your self for Saint Potter." Draco didn't have enough time to blink as a plain white pillow smacked him in the face.

"That is not true, nor any of your business!" Ginny chided him and got up to retrieve her pillow from his lap. Draco seemed unmoved by her comment. He, instead, picked up the pillow and held it to the side, out of reach from the littlest Weasley. "Malfoy, give me my pillow."

"I thought we agreed it was Draco, and no, not till you apologize." Draco reprimanded.

"Not bloody likely." Ginny said trying to reach around him. When that didn't work, she tried walking around to the other side of the bed, but he just held it up over his head, which admittedly was too high for her to reach.

"It's interesting." Draco spoke up as he held it. "That someone with a bad wrist and shoulder could throw so well." Ginny was still trying to get it by jumping, but to no avail.

"I used my other arm, genius." Ginny stretched as she said this and tried leaning on his bed to take it back. "Come on, Draco." Ginny said reaching up to grab the pillow.

"Nope, not until you apologize." Draco said holding a little higher.

Getting aggravated Ginny reached up a little more, and when that didn't work, tried her other arm. To her dismay, she had forgotten that she had a not-so-strong wrist or shoulder on that arm and slipped forward. Her knee collided with the side panel of his bed and she clumsy fell on to Draco. His lips anyway.

The two seemed to be in a complete state of shock at this point as Draco's hand lowered back down and dropped the pillow. Ginny watched this out of the corner of her eye till she felt the very same hand on her hip pulling her closer. The next thing she knew, Ginny, eyes closed, was making out with Draco on what she had mentally started calling his death bed. She had every intention of killing him the second she stopped kissing him. The only problem was, she wasn't stopping.

When they finally pulled apart, seemingly an hour or so later, Ginny couldn't speak, let alone attempt to murder him.

"Apology excepted, Ginny." Draco said and handed her back her pillow.

* * *


	7. Creating A Mask

A/N: I was a bit loopy when I wrote this chapter. I had a rootbeer float earlier and it's getting to me. Lol.

* * *

Chapter 7- Creating A Mask 

Ginny was a bit shocked as she walked into the Great Hall the next morning and saw that Colleen and Mallory were sitting together, boyfriend-less, and talking amiably. In fact, she was down right floored. Hadn't they been spending the last week attached permanently to their guys? And now, they were chitchatting away pleasantly, but alone. Using her amazing detective's skills, Ginny was determined to find out why their guys weren't around. She walked right up to their table and sat down across from them both.

"So, why aren't your guys around?" Ginny asked bluntly and poured her self some juice before taking a big gulp of the liquid.

"Why, hello Ginny! Isn't it wonderful that you are no longer in the Hospital Wing? How has our morning been? Well, quiet actually. Thanks for asking." Colleen responded sarcastically, and Ginny instantly remembered how cranky the girl could be on Monday mornings. Especially, before Double Potions.

"Whoa. That was scary Col. You sounded like the Twins just now, only theirs one of you." Gin answered back and took another sip of her drink.

"There _is_ only one of you, right?" Mallory joined in, and she shared a laugh with Ginny.

"Sadly," Colleen answered, and turned her attention to her Potions Homework, reading it throughly.

"Really though," Ginny said glancing around. "Where are your boyfriends?"

"Well, Colin's upstairs doing his Potions homework and looking for his tie." Mallory answered between bites of toast.

"And Shane?" Ginny asked looking to Colleen.

"He's the guy behind me that's lethargically drowning in his porridge." Colleen answered. Ginny stifled a laugh as she peered over Colleen's shoulder and, indeed, saw Shane taking a nap in his bowl.

"Ah, so that's why your dating him." Mallory said as she stared back at him.

"What do you mean?" Colleen asked as she glanced sideways at Mallory.

"For his like quality's." Mallory said, and Ginny again stifled a laugh behind her hand. Colleen slammed her Potion's homework on the table and stood up. Mallory stood as well, in case she had to run.

"You realize this means war." Colleen said as Mallory slowly started to back up.

"Eh, now. You know you're not allowed to use magic between classes, and in the corridor's." Mallory stated matter-of-factly.

"No need," Colleen smiled, before picking up her own bowl and chucking it at Mallory, who ducked in time. Instead, it hit a Slytherin.

"Oi!" The gruff Slytherin yelled, and simultaneously, Mallory and Colleen both pointed at Ginny.

"Hey, wait. I didn't." But Ginny had to duck before her next word was uttered. She just barely missed getting hit by eggs, but the two Ravenclaws behind her didn't. In seconds, the whole Great Hall was flinging clumps of breakfast at each other.

Continuing to duck, the three girls made it out of the room with little on their clothes. Ginny was just cleaning off juice from her shirt when she bumped into someone heading toward the Great Hall. That someone being Malfoy.

Glancing at the Great Hall doors, and then him, Ginny made a quick decision in her mind to warn him. "I wouldn't go in there if I was you." She stated plainly.

Draco glanced from one girl to another, spotting the porridge on Mallory's shoulder, then turning to Ginny one last time, and decided to heed her advice and go outside instead.

"Aw, Gin! That could've been funny. Seeing Malfoy walk in and get hit in the face with porridge." Mallory cried. "Why did you stop him?"

Ginny merely shrugged. Mallory shook her head and started to head to Potion's, Ginny behind her. Colleen didn't however, she crossed her arms as she looked at the fleeting form of Malfoy, then to Ginny. She could have sworn she saw Ginny give Draco "the look", and if she wasn't mistaken, Draco returned it.

So she went with her instincts, and a bit of a grudge, after Draco. It took her a second to find him, but with the worlds shiniest head, he wasn't too hard to miss. Setting off at a bit of a run to catch up with him, Colleen sided up next to the Slytherin boy as he walked toward Herbology.

"So," Colleen broke the silence, as Draco seemed to be ignoring her on purpose. The word took Draco from his thoughts and turned his attention to the Gryff who decided to follow him. He gave her a once over, and then smirked at the words that formed in his mind.

"Well, if it isn't Colleen Livette," Draco stopped mid-stride, and turned to the Gryffindor with his sly smile. "I'd love whatever you'd have to offer, but seeing as you are dating Shane. It'd be courteous of me to stay away." Draco let his pointer finger slide down her cheek, and started to walk away.

"How considerate of you," Colleen gritted through her teeth as she shuddered, annoyed that he touched her. Draco seemed to sense the annoyance even with his back turned, and the distance he was putting between them. But at the utterance of the rest of her sentence, Draco turned on a heel and glared at Colleen.

"What?" Draco's eyes flared with the word, and Colleen smiled to her self. She was right.

"It seems to me that you rather see what Weasley has to offer." Colleen repeated herself. She saw as Draco waited a few seconds for a couple of his fellow Slytherin's to pass before speaking again.

"What the hell would I want with Weasley? That homosexual can go blow Potter for all I care." Colleen was taken back by his words. Homosexual . . . Blow Potter . . . Oh! He meant Ron.

"No, you moron. Not Ron, who by the way, is not gay, and is recently dating Hermione Granger-" Colleen was cut off by what sounded like the word "mudblood-lover", but let it go as she continued on. "I meant Ginny Weasley. The GIRL Weasley! You dolt!" Draco seemed a bit taken back by this. Almost never had he faced Ginny Weasley, with the exception of the Hospital Wing visit. Why would he be interested in the littlest Weasley? "Oh come on Draco. I saw it."

Draco was confused, or he was attempting to anyway. "Saw what? How she collided midair with me? I'm quite sure most of the school saw that bit." Colleen rolled her eyes.

"Just now, in the Entrance Hall. You gave her 'the look'." Draco raised his eyebrow at her.

"A look?"

"No, THE look. The look-look. Like, 'hey I like your style, come hop in my ride sweet thang, let's see what you can do,' and then she played all bashfully. Like 'oh, but my big brother's, what would they think? What would they do?' And you were all like. 'You're right, too many witnesses. We must meet secretly by the cover of night,' and she was like. 'Okay.' " As Colleen rambled on, Draco realized just how much of a nutter the girl really was.

"What the hell are you talking about, Livette!" Draco finally cut off her little story.

"You fancy Ginny Weasley!" Colleen explained clearly for the first time.

"What?" Draco shook his head at the crazy girl. "You've lost it."

"Yeah? Well," Colleen tried to come up with something quick. "I'd make a move quick. Cause Shane has broken up with me, and is now after her. So, just a warning. You've got competition." Colleen said and turned on her heel to go back into the school. Draco watched the girl leave, and walked away with only one thought in his head.

No wonder Shane left her. She's insane. But why would he use Ginny Weasley?

----

As Colleen headed into the Great Hall once again, she caught Shane walking out of the Great Hall with porridge no longer covering his face. She ran up to him, and gave him a quick kiss before speaking her mind.

"I have just had the best idea ever." Colleen said with glee.

"Skip classes, and go some place quiet? Some place we can-"

"No, well, maybe, but no. I had this amazing epiphany just now." As Shane walked Colleen to her Potions class, she explained to Shane just what little devious plans her mind was working up at the moment, and Shane seemed to be quite keen to them.


	8. Receiving A Dress

A/N: Berry's and Cream, Berry's and Cream. I'm a little lad who like's berry's...(jumps and clicks heals together) and creeeeeaaaam!

Anyway, I have had a long night of writing. So everyone who enjoys my story. Enjoy it!

* * *

Chapter 8: Receiving the Dress 

When Ginny headed down to dinner. She couldn't help but notice the new comers that had arrived at Hogwarts that day. Apparently, the Masquerade was going to be more then just a little get together for the older students. Dancers, very well trained ones, had been invited to do the opening dance. Or so rumor had it.

Ginny wasn't worried though, she'd find out soon enough. Especially since she saw Mr. Livette, Colleen's father, heading toward the same doors as she was.

"Mr. L!" Ginny called and ran up to the man, giving him a big hug. She'd known the older gentlemen since she was 12 and spent a week or two at Colleen's house with Mallory. Since then they had become quite close. Almost like a second father.

"Why, is that little Ginny Weasley?" Asked the tall handsome man.

"Yes!" Ginny said excitedly. "But…why are you here?"

"Well, I'm not suppose to say, but I'm sure my daughter will be nothing but anxious to tell you. She's been practicing for weeks."

"Practicing?" Ginny asked confused.

"Well, yes, her dance. Oh, but I've already said too much. Anyways, I'll see you later." With that the older man walked into the Great Hall. Ginny followed in after him, but the two separated and headed in different directions. She spotted Colleen, Mallory, and Colin all sitting together and went to sit down with them. By the looks of it, Mallory already got the news out of Colleen, and Colleen wouldn't stop talking. The normal routine.

"I've actually been doing the dance since I was eight. My father taught me to dance and I've been doing it ever since I could do it." Colleen answered.

"So, your Dad is a choreographer?" Colin asked amused.

"Yes," Colleen said with a bit of frustration. There was nothing wrong with having a choreographer for a father.

"Anyway, so I have to do this dance for the opening and this kid Kyle is my partner. Total wacko really. And I think a bit gay..." Colleen sighed and turned to Ginny. "Which brings me to you."

"Me?" asked Ginny confused, her mind automatically jumping to conclusions. "I'm not dancing. I'm no dancer, well, I can it's just. Not in forever, and I don't think-"

"No, no, no, not to dance. Just to date Shane for a while." Colleen said with a smile. The other three shared a look before Ginny responded.

"Date your boyfriend? Why?" Ginny asked confused.

"Well, my Dad hates Shane's family... and also he thinks Iargharhgaghjram darghatinng Draargheo Magaralfoy." Colleen had shoved a big fork full of spaghetti into her mouth so that none of the gang could hear what she was saying.

"I'm sorry? Could you repeat that?" Mallory asked grabbing Colleen's eating hand to stop her from doing it a second time.

"He thinks I'm dating Draco Malfoy." Colleen said as fast as she could and kept eye contact with her lap. When she heard nothing but silence from the table she looked up again. The three people around her looked aghast.

"W-why would you tell him that?" Asked Ginny, trying to hide the blush of jealousy.

"Well, one time when I was talking to my Dad I let it slip that I was dating a Slytherin, and well, he flipped. He was sure I was dating Kyle, but Kyle is so big headed. I wouldn't be able to stand dancing and dating him. I'd have to kill someone. Preferably him." Colleen over explained.

"So, why do I have to date Shane?" Ginny asked.

"I also happen to mention Shane and I hanging out once. My Dad almost killed me. Then I told him that the reason why we we're hanging out was because he was dating a friend of mine. So I figure. I'll date Draco, and you date Shane when he's around. Then, Shane and I can still be together. Mallory can't do it, cause she's dating Colin. You're my last resort... We'll all do stuff together; so if my Dad happens to walk by we just, switch up." Colleen smiled at her own lie. She couldn't have come up with a better plan. Dangle Ginny right in front of Draco, and then when he least expects it, pull her away again.

"Fine. I'll do it." Ginny answered.

Colleen wondered if her head was a little bigger at the moment from all her gloating.

* * *

Day one of the Plan. 

A Hogsmeade trip had been schedule for today, and The Gang plus one, had all but skipped down the cobblestone street toward the town. Excluding, of course, their newest member, Draco. He just scowled at his hand that was gripped loosely to Colleen's.

It took Colleen nearly a half hours time to convince Draco that dating her was a good idea, especially since he now thought her a perfect patient for a psych-ward. But Shane was with Ginny. So he was free to date her.

When he finally did agree, he found himself dissapproving of his own actions as well as others. He still wasn't sure what the terms were, but he did enjoy the fact that Pansy no longer tramped around him all day long, not now that she knew of his girlfriend. Even if it meant that he had to watch Ginny interact with Shane.

The day started in Honeydukes where Draco and Ginny were abandon once safely inside of the store. Trying to avoid a scene Draco left Colleen to shop, and headed for the door. He spotted Ginny standing there, and raised an eyebrow as he joined her.

"Nice day," Ginny murmured. After the little incident that happened, she hadn't really expect an answer from him, but she didn't know that because of that incident, Draco wasn't going to speak to her, unless she intiated the conversation.

"So it seems." Draco said, and leaned against the doorframe. "Why are you here, and not shopping with Shane?" Draco asked bemused.

"I…don't really feel like it." Ginny answered plainly. She wouldn't have even gone today if it hadn't been for Colleen and Shane's situation.

"You'd think that Shane would take you some where else then." Draco stated a little less calmly then he intended.

"Doubtful." Ginny said, giving Draco a confused look. Wasn't he there as a part of Colleen's plan, like she was? "You're just doing this for Colleen right?" Ginny asked.

The question caught the attention of a couple that had found them selves making out under the stairs. Colleen stepped out from behind the stairs, and quickly grabbed Draco's hand before he could say anything to give away her plan. Shane seemed to take this time to grab Ginny, and the little group headed out, leaving behind Mallory and Colin, to another shop hoping that the conversation would die with time.

The day was long and drawn out, especially for Ginny and Draco who had spent most of the day in each other's company while Colleen and Shane had run off to make out and spend time together. They'd run into her Dad a couple of times while by themselves, but he had not reacted as Colleen claimed. In fact, he didn't hate Shane's family at all, and didn't mind them together one bit. Though he didn't mind, Colleen had fed him a story of how she was trying to get two friends together, so if he saw them with other people, to not be alarmed, as it was a part of her plan.

Shane and Colleen walked back into The Three Broomsticks to find that Ginny and Draco were sitting comfortable together at the table the two had left them at. Only they were ten times closer then they had been.

"Shane! Stop them!" Colleen whispered harshly to her boyfriend. From her point of view, Ginny, and Draco looked like they were about to pounce one another, and not in a bad way.

"By doing what?" Shane asked lost.

"Go…Kiss her!" Colleen replied. "And if she asks why just say that my Dad had seen you and I together, and you had to convince him otherwise." With her words Shane was off in seconds. He took the seat next to Ginny, and pulled her towards him before kissing her hard on the lips.

It was like a really bad joke had been played on everyone. All the people in the room seemed to have stopped and looked. A glass fell, some over dramatic person shrieked, Draco looked beyond pissed, and even Colleen gave a gasp of shock. The room was dead silent until their lips broke apart.

"What in the name of hell are you doing, Shane?" Ginny asked overly annoyed. By this time, the pub had gone back to its noisy self, and only Ginny, Shane, Draco, and Colleen remained in on the conversation.

"Colleen's father saw us, had to kiss you to make him believe… Did anyone ever tell you that you're an amazing kisser?" Shane seemed a bit out of it, and from behind him, Colleen rolled her eyes at him.

"What? Yes, No…" Ginny glanced at Draco and then around the room. "Colleen's father is not even here!" Ginny screamed.

"No, he was. He must of left or something." Shane tried to cover his tracks, but to no avail. Ginny still looked pissed. She didn't even answer him; she just got up, and spewed from the Three Broomsticks.

"Good going, Shane." Colleen called to her boyfriend and followed Ginny out calling after her, and running to catch up.

Her exit left only the two Slytherins, but it didn't last long, as Draco left the pub as well.

* * *

Ginny made it all the way up to Gryffindor tower before Colleen had caught up with her. 

"Gin, wait! Gin Sin! Stop." Ginny turned toward her friend. She couldn't refuse her favorite nickname, some sort of alcoholic drink or something.

"Yes?" Ginny asked not pretending in the least that she wasn't angry.

"Don't be mad at Shane! He was only looking out for me. Blame me!" Colleen said trying to calm her friend down. Ginny only laughed.

"I'm not mad, I don't think anyways. Besides, there's nothing really to be mad about." Ginny said shrugging off her anger.

"Not even that Shane interrupted you and Draco?" Colleen slipped up, but lucky for her, Gin didn't notice it.

"We were only talking about… something that happened once. No big deal. Really. Er…I'm going to sleep." Ginny tried to avoid her own slip and ran up to their dorm room.

Colleen had caught on, and ran up behind Ginny to ask her what she was going to say, when she noticed Ginny eyeing a big black box on her bed tied in a red ribbon.

"What is it?" Colleen asked eyeing the box. "Is it from your brothers? Is it more joke shop crap?"

"No," Ginny answered plainly.

"Is it from Draco?" asked Colleen.

"No!" Ginny said shaking her head. "It's from Fred and George." She had sent them her reply letter about her tests, discoveries, and their products, but she never expected them to send it so quickly.

"Well, what is it?" Colleen asked tiredly.

"It's my dress…"


	9. Finding A Date

**A/N**: I realized that I haven't really thanked you guys for reviewing. So here is my Thank you to: **ME**, **Emerald-Eyed-Stag**, **Sarah** (Twice! Yesh!), **blackcoat-245**, **between2worlds** ( twice! Woot.), **funstuff05** (twice! Yay.), **LunarianPrincess**, **CulturedMoron** (I'm glad you liked the Quidditch.), **Ehlonna**, **DracoGinnylover24**, and **Catnipob** (I'm sorry I ruined your day of fantasy. I know the feeling. So here's another chapter.) Just a warning, it does lack a little Mallory/Colin stuff, but eh, tons in the next one! Actually, the next one is also my longest chapter...ever? Yeah, it was about ten when I first started it, and it's been growing and shortening ever since. Either way it won't be a misely 4 pages like my last couple. And no it's not the last. It's suppose to be 13 chapters long total. Oops giving too much away.

Funny I don't usually like when people put 'Thank you for reviews' up, but I guess I'm going to be hypocritical just this once.

* * *

Chapter 9: _Finding a Date_

**Day Two of the Plan**

Sunday morning found Colleen and Ginny sitting in the school Library awaiting the boys. Ginny wasn't too fond of this idea. If she could have it her way, she'd be back in bed, sleeping the rest of the morning away until she absolutely had to get up and finish her Transfiguration and History of Magic homework. It was the weekend after all.

"What are the chances that your Dad even comes into the library?" Ginny asked a little irritated, especially after the events of the previous day. There was something off by the way her friends were acting, and she had a feeling it wasn't going to end well. Whatever they're doing.

"Well, it is raining." Colleen submitted and turned her attention to the window. Ginny waited a few seconds for her to explain further, but the explanation never came.

"And that has what to do with your father?"

"He likes the rain. Well, he likes to read when it's raining anyway." Colleen answered returning her attention to the table. In the distance she saw the guys walk in together.

"So, we had to get up at nine in the morning because…the library is a great place to show Draco off to your father?" Ginny was hoping that her little 'question and answer' would spill something or explain what was going on, but Colleen, for once, kept quiet.

"Yeah, something like that…"

"Well, I don't see why you need me and Shane. You and Draco could just hang out." Ginny offered. She wanted to go back to her dorm room and try on her dress to see if it still fit like it had the night before.

"No! ... I mean you couldn't possibly think I want to be left alone with just Draco, would you?" Colleen nearly begged.

"I guess not…" Ginny nodded her head, their talk seemed to be over since the boys had sat down.

"Well, I'm just ecstatic that you all have dragged me out of bed at the crack of dawn on a Sunday so you can study. But why do I have to be here?" Draco didn't seem like a good morning person. In fact, Ginny didn't think there was any time of day that Draco enjoyed. He always seemed moody.

"Because I asked." Colleen said and gave Draco an appreciative smile. Draco was starting to wonder if it was more annoying to be dating Colleen and waking up early or still having Pansy following him around, attempting to converse with him, do anything at his beck and call . . . He was brought out of his thoughts as he noticed that he wasn't the only one not so happy to be up. Ginny seemed quite irked as well. He glanced down at the History homework she was working with and noted an error in her text. Quietly he leaned over and whispered to her.

"You know, the War of Galosh, was between the years 1498 and 1507, not 1502 to 1507 like you have there." Draco said tapping the paper Ginny was writing on.

"No, it wasn't, it was from 1502 to 1507. I have it in my notes." Ginny argued back, and gave a glance to the other two at the table who seemed to be very into a Potion's book.

"No, I believe you're wrong." Draco challenged, and stood from the table."And I can prove it." He beckoned Ginny over to a secluded section of books and pulled out the one he needed as evidence. "See right here on page two hundred and seventy-six."

Ginny was a little taken back. He was right. She was wrong. That didn't seem right. Even weirder, he knew the exact page and book that the answer was in.

"Well, it's only a paper anyway. Binn would probably have never noticed. He only checks the length." Ginny said to her defense. Draco shrugged, and leaned against the bookcase.

"Please tell me that waking up early wasn't your idea. I honestly rather be out at the lake or something. Raining or no." Draco changed the subject as fast as his words would let him.

"Hell no." Ginny nearly screamed, but caught herself. "Colleen set this whole thing up so she could see Shane." Draco's head nearly snapped at the movement from its position against the books to looking directly at Ginny. He felt an anger bubble up inside of him at the words. HE was dating Colleen, why the hell was she there to see Shane? Oh, but of course. He should have realized that this whole little set-up was to get Colleen and Shane back together. That only made perfect sense. Colleen probably came up with the plan ever since Shane left her to be with Ginny. And Shane didn't really like Ginny, he was only dating her to piss off Colleen and show her what she was missing. That had to be it.

Ginny literally saw the wheels turning in Draco's head, and gave him a quizzical look. She could have sworn she was having Deja Vu. Hadn't she seen the same look on Draco's features the day before when she mentioned Colleen and Shane. Didn't Draco know that this was only pretend?

"Are you all right, Draco?" Ginny asked. The thought had suddenly occurred to her that they both had been using each other's names when speaking to one another.

"Fine." Draco said shaking his head. The sudden noticeably close proximity had thrown his thoughts in a whole other direction. One that featured a kiss shared in a Hospital Wing.

Ginny seemed to be thinking this as well as the words she was about to utter died on her lips, and instead her lips puckered as the two leaned into each other. Ginny's hands found themselves wrapped around his neck pulling him closer to her as his hands feathered over her waist until he was holding her hard against the bookshelf behind her, using his own body to help hold her there. Their mouths clashed so hard that they were sure to bruise.

It was about this time that Shane and Colleen had noticed the two had been M.I.A. and got up to look for them. "Draco." Colleen hissed through bookshelves trying to find the two's secret location. "Where are you?"

Ginny and Draco jumped at the noise and separated faster than either thought possible. Colleen was getting closer by the sound of her voice, and Ginny took the few seconds she had to turn herself toward the bookshelf and make it look like she was looking for something. She was only hoping that Draco was doing something as well to hide what they had been doing.

Colleen finally spotted red tresses against the back bookshelf and took in the whole scene in shock and pity. Draco seemed dazed as he leaned against a bookshelf casually, and Ginny was searching frantically for what Colleen assumed was an invisible book. If Colleen hadn't known the feeling and look of a making out couple, the two just might have gotten away with what they were doing. Aside from the heavy breathing both were trying to hide.

"Find anything on your paper?" Colleen asked Ginny with an innocent look of interest.

"Nope, nothing yet." Ginny answered and faced her friend for a few seconds before returning to her search. Colleen nearly cracked up with laughter. Ginny's face was flushed red. "Well, if you don't _mind_," Colleen put emphases on the word. "I'm going to have to steal Draco away for a second." She beckoned Draco after her, and Draco nodded his head and went to follow her. He stopped quickly and turned back to Ginny and in a whisper asked quite seriously.

"Go to the Masquerade with me." He then turned on his heel and headed out of the Library with Colleen, without even hearing Ginny's mumbled reply of 'yes'.

* * *

**Day Three of the Plan**

It was quite uneventful, except for the mad rush of every older student in the school. It seemed that ever girl had to borrow something of someone's at one point to make sure that their costume and dress were the perfect one's for the ball. Ginny had expected to fall short of this activity, but soon found herself scavenging for a light pink lipstick and gloss that would work with her complection and not clash with her dress robes.

"Ginny, stop your horrible ranting. I've already told you that you can borrow mine. I have the perfect color here in my hand if you would stop tearing up our room for two seconds." Colleen was irritated by all the rushing. She had two days earlier boughten all the items she knew she was going to need for the Masquerade, Including a few extras for her friends.

Ginny's head popped out of a trunk that she had been searching in and spit out a sock. "What color?" Ginny asked starring at the tube in her friends hand. Colleen wasn't paying attention though, she was starring daggers at the sock that had just hit the floor.

"How did Mallory's sock end up in your mouth?" she asked disgusted. Ginny ignored the question and grabbed the lipstick out of her friend's hand.

"Oh my . . . Coll. How did you know that this color would be perfect? You haven't seen the dress." Colleen shrugged at Ginny's questioned and then frowned.

"Hey, now that you mention it, go try it on again for the millionth time so I can see how it looks." Colleen almost seemed to demand it. "It's not Flamingo, is it? Because that, would just look ridiculous. I mean, no one should go as a bird." Colleen added.

"No," Ginny called out from her closet. "It's actually a bird, but not Flamingo. God, that would be funny." Ginny paused suddenly and walked out of the closet. "Wait, isn't Mallory's a Flamingo?"

"No, but it is pink. I have no idea how she got it to work, but the mask is amazing on her. And it's going to head the huge . . . uh . . . I mean little zit she got this morning. Lucky her." Ginny went back into her closet once again as Colleen continued to talk. "You liked my dress right? I mean I was very iffy on the green, but there's no sequin's and the lace is perfect round the stomach. Good for dancing. You think, since I'm dancing, that I should wear my hair up?"

"Yes," Ginny called.

"I figured as much. How are you wearing your hair? Oh! I'm curling it for you! Mallory is straightening her curly hair, which I told her was a bad idea, but she convinced me otherwise. She actually does look good with straight hair. Hey, are you ready yet?" Colleen stood and leaned against her bed post while waiting for Ginny.

"Now who's ranting?" Ginny said sarcastically and walked out. She wore long white satin gloves that went up to her elbows and the most magnificent navy blue dress that simply clung to all of her curves with a flowing skirt attached that spun wonderfully as she did. The dress was a tube top that showed off Ginny's freckled shoulder's, and to top it all off a stiff white mask that was shaped to fit her eye brow to cheek bone area, and was outlined in a thin navy blue edge.

"G! Holy . . . " Colleen was so taken a back it was the only word she could utter, and Ginny smiled.

"That nice, huh?" Ginny smiled and turned to her mirror. With her make up done she was sure to win glances from every guy in the room. Colleen came out of her stupor and shook her head.

"Who would have thought that G stood for Gorgeous." Colleen smiled at her own joke, and then was smacked in the head by Ginny's pillow.


	10. The Masquerade

**A/N:** Thank you again for the reviews!

Just a little _**warning**_ again. The Colin/Mallory part got cut (Sorry Kara!) And there's quite a bit of cussing toward the end. Not that I didn't using cussing before, but I thought I'd still warn you. Toot-a-loo.

* * *

Chapter 10: The Masquerade 

"And there are voices  
That want to be heard.  
So much to mention  
But you cant find the words.  
The scent of magic,  
The beauty thats been  
When love was wilder than the wind."

_Listen to Your Heart- Roxette_

**Day Four and final day of the Plan.**

Disappointed by missing out on the few days in between, which were full of Quidditch Practices; homework; and classes, Colleen was pissed. She could have used those days for her 'plan', she instead came up with a better plan with her time, one that would surely ruin Draco. One involving the ball.

Once Colleen's hair was pinned up tightly, Mallory's hair was straightened and Ginny's was curled in long loose twists by Colleen, the three snuck down to the Great Hall in their dresses. Colleen had invited both girls down to watch her practice her dance, giving them the VIP show. This is where her plan unfolded in full.

"Hello Girls!" Mr. Livette called to the three as the walked in on a group circling the center floor. Ginny was sure that she'd never seen the Great Hall looks so wonderful. Not even in her fourth year at the Yule Ball.

"Hi Mr. Livette." Mallory and Ginny called at the same time, and both walked over to the man while Colleen walked over to Kyle, her dance partner, and began practicing with him. No music was playing at the moment but the couple were keeping their steps by counting. Ginny smiled at the two.

"That looks familiar." She had seen the dance before, as a matter of fact, she had danced it before while helping Colleen practice. A very long, and tiring practice. One she didn't mind forgetting about, but couldn't. Somewhere deep down, she did enjoy the work out, and memory of it.

"It should, I remember watching you two do that same dance with Kyle and Annick last summer at my studio." Mr. Livette explained and Mallory looked impressed.

"You've danced at his studio?" She asked turning to Ginny.

"Yeah, a little bit. Ann's dance partner didn't show up that day, but he needed to practice. So they taught me how. " Ginny smiled at the memory. She had completely sucked at first, but by the end of the day she was keeping up quite well with Colleen. "Coolest thing I've ever learned."

"I wish I could dance like that." Mallory admitted and Ginny shook her head.

"No, you don't. Trust me." Ginny pushed a fallen curl out of her face. "I had to rest my feet for three days afterwards. They killed if you even thought about walking."

"Oh, yes. One hard day I'm sure. You know the use dancing in torture chambers now. Just a fun little fact. " Mr. L joked and the girls giggled with him. "Nothing any strong enemy couldn't break under the pressure of." He continued.

"Speaking of enemy's, Mr. L, I've been wondering what the whole ordeal between you and Shane's family is. I mean, Colleen's mentioned your hatred for them, but she never explained why." Ginny bluntly brought up the topic, and Mr. Livette looked confused.

"I don't have anything against Shane's family. As far as I know they have nothing against me either, or else the nice lunch we had the other day was complete rubbish. When has she said this?" Ginny rolled her eyes as she watched Colleen dance. She knew there had been something up with the two. What were they planning?

"Oh, nothing. Mr. L. I must be mistaken." Ginny said as she turned to him. Then Colleen screamed.

Everyone's attention turned to the girl as she clutched to her ankle on the dance floor. Her father was the first to make it to her, having many falls in his past to know what to do. He checked her ankle, testing its movement which only made Colleen cry out more.

"She's not going to be able to dance. It's twisted well." Her father announced finally and Ginny's eyes went wide.

"Well, then Annick and Micaela will have to." Ginny submitted, she was already seeing how this situation would play out in her head.

"They're not here. They've got competition in the states. Colleen and Kyle are the only ones who know the center stage dance." One of the other performers called as he joined the group. Mr. Livette looked down at his daughter, and then up to Ginny. Ginny started to back up slowly.

"Ginny, you could-" She cut off Mr. Livette before he could finish.

"Oh no, I don't think so. I'm not dancing, not hear, not for anything. I already told Colleen that. Especially not after someone's already hurt themselves doing it." Ginny crossed her arms and continued to shake her head.

"But Gin, I know you can, you got so good at it last summer! Kyle practice with her." Colleen demanded it, and Kyle followed suit dragging Ginny onto the dance floor again before she could back out.

"I'll be in the Hospital Wing if anybody needs me." Colleen mumbled and pulled out her wand.

"How are you going to get there?" Mallory asked as Colleen pushed the few people away from her. Colleen smirked.

"Windgardium Leviosa." She waved her wand and was up in the air in seconds. Leading her self out, she made sure no one was following her as she set herself down outside the Great Hall doors. She ran to the nearest bathroom, where she had hidden a bottle of Poly-juice Potion. She found the bottle, added the hair she got when Curling Ginny's, and drank the potion in one gulp. In only a few seconds, she was red-haired, and freckled all over.

"Perfect," she said to the mirrored image of Ginny. She had to admit that the green dress, make-up, and tight fitted up-do she was wearing really did look good on Ginny. "Now for a little revenge." She checked her clutch bag one last time for a crinkled green wrapper before heading out into the Great Hall and waiting for Draco Malfoy to arrive.

* * *

It took almost forty-five minutes, but the tall figured blonde eventually showed fashionably late, wearing his own tuxedo version of a man's Masquerade dress robe. His mask was straight black, but Colleen could see silvered eyes that were hidden behind it. 

"Aren't Colleen and Shane supposed to meet us?" Draco posed the question while offering his arm to the redhead.

"Oh, you haven't heard?" Colleen quickly checked her voice. She didn't sound a thing like Ginny at the moment. She cleared her throat and tried again. "Shane and Colleen are back together. We won't have to worry about them. For the evening anyway."

"Good," Draco said a little sternly. "I'd rather not have to be forced to stand with that girl for one more instant. She's a real nutter."

"Hey!" Colleen called, and Draco gave her a confused look. Colleen wanted to kick herself at the sudden outburst. "I just mean, she's still my friend you know." She attempted to cover her tracks.

"True," was all that Draco said, and the two entered into the Great Hall just as Ginny began the opening dance for the Masquerade.

* * *

Ginny was finally ready, and took her first step out into the spotlight on the dance floor. Taking a deep breath, she reached for Kyle's hand and let him lead her into the first few steps of their performance. 

Ginny had never heard so many 'oohs' and 'awes' in her life as she was twirled magnificently across the main floor. The dance seemed to go by so fast she almost didn't have enough time for it to really hit her what she was doing. Then the first couple came onto the dance floor following suit, and then a crowd of couples had started to dance. Ginny took her bow and left the floor breathing hard and sitting down next to her older brother and his girlfriend, whom had given her more complements then she could have ever expected. Of course, the boy was in good spirits that evening. He was having his first ball _with_ Hermione.

"Thank you, Ron. And you too, Hermione" Ginny called while trying to catch her breath. She had glanced around the room a few times, catching Mallory and Colin, but she couldn't find Draco anywhere. He was coming wasn't he?

"Hey Gin," Ginny heard a familiar voice call, and turned to see Shane standing next to her.

"Hi, uh, hey you haven't seen Draco, have you?" Ginny asked as she glanced over his shoulder.

"Nope, not at all. But there was this little thing I wanted to do." Shane said, and took Ginny's lips captive with his own. Ginny freaked instantly, and jumped back from the boy.

"What the hell, Shane?" She bellowed at him, and swung her arm back to slap him. She was interrupted though, when she heard her name being called. She turned just in time to see Draco fall to the ground.

* * *

"That's odd," Draco said to Ginny as he watched the opening dance begin. "That girl on the dance floor looks oddly familiar, and why is she dancing out there? Isn't that supposed to be Colleen?" Draco asked with a grimace on his face. For some odd reason, there was a redhead on the dance floor who could have been Ginny's twin. "Do you have a twin?" 

"What? Oh no, that's just Micaela. Her replacement. Colleen hurt herself or something. Does look a lot like me though, yes, you're right. Uh, would you like to dance?" Colleen attempted to distract Draco, but he couldn't look away.

"Sure." Draco said, and he was lead out onto the dance floor with Colleen.

Colleen wasn't happy by his sudden trance on Ginny. Even though he was supposed to think Ginny was in his arms at the moment, he still kept the real one in his eye sight. Colleen glanced down at her watch and shook her head.

"Show time." Colleen said and pulled Draco off the dance floor to an area that gave a clear view to where the real Ginny had walked over to.

"What?" Draco asked about her words, and the Ginny he was standing with smirked at him. "Are you all right, Ginny?"

"Oh, I'm not Ginny." Colleen said while still smirking. She could see the freckles on her arms disappearing, and could feel her body changing back to her original self.

"What the hell?" Draco got out before witnessing the transformation. He then saw Colleen before him, and he frowned down at her, before turning his attention to the real Ginny who was now standing with Shane.

"Revenge is sweet." Colleen mumbled into his ear as she put an arm around him, and they both watched Ginny being kissed by Shane.

"Ginny," Draco called out, and Colleen took the moment of his mouth being open to shove the Chocolate Frog Nightmare right into his mouth. It worked instantly, and the boy fell down onto the floor.

Ginny had witnessed this part, and ran over immediately. She saw Colleen standing over him, and gave her a raised eye brow.

"Twisted an ankle?" she spat, and Colleen gave an innocent look. "What happened to Draco?" She tried again, and this time Colleen spoke.

"I don't know. He just fell." But Ginny wasn't buying it. She saw the Chocolate Frog Nightmare's green wrapping clenched in her hand.

"What the hell did you do?" Ginny asked, and leaned over Draco, pushing Colleen out of the way. The warnings on the wrapper were no joke. Draco's face was gaunt. His eyes were shut, but every couple seconds or so he would flinch, before going back to being gaunt again.

"What he deserved, the wanker." Colleen spat at the boy, and Ginny stood up to her eye level.

"What's wrong with you, the boy didn't do anything but help you and Shane!" Ginny ranted as she pointed a disapproving finger at Colleen. Though they were loud, it seemed that no one else in the room paid any mind to what they were doing or saying.

"He was the reason Shane and I almost broke up, Ginny. He was the one I told you had 'come between us' and the reason why Shane is no longer on the Quidditch team. He's hated Shane, ever since the two of us started going out, because I turned him down to be with Shane." Colleen returned with equal force, and kicked Draco as she finished.

Ginny couldn't control her movements as she slapped Colleen across the face. "Grow up Coll! If you two were such a perfect couple, then no matter what Draco did, you would have stayed together! Draco didn't even like you anymore. He was going out with me!"

"What?" Colleen shook her head. "You two aren't dating."

"Yes! You half-wit! We are! We've been dating ever since the two of us were stuck up in the Hospital Wing together!" Colleen was suddenly taken back by this new wave of information.

"So, that's why you didn't want to help me with the whole thing between me, Shane and my dad." Colleen was slowly catching on.

"Yes, Draco and I had been dating secretly. I knew that he would be upset over me helping you, but when I heard that he was helping as well . . . I figured it was a part of his cover the way he was acting, but in the Three Broomsticks, he just said that you had asked him out, and he didn't know what to say 'cause he didn't want to tell you that we were together. So he said yes, and blamed it on not being followed by Pansy, which from my stand point is quite nice. She had started bothering Draco when she caught us making out, but Draco found her secret. She has been with Blaise for months!" Ginny was starting to become very distraught from this whole situation, and was about to go off on Colleen again, when Draco stirred below her.

"Draco, are you okay?" Ginny asked as she helped him stand up. He glanced around a few times before coming to his senses. He looked at Ginny, and Colleen. Sure that they both were the real them, he glared his worst at the two, and speaking to both said, "Don't _ever _come near me again." Snatching up his jacket from the nearby table, he stormed out of the room. Ginny glared at her two 'friends', and followed him out into the Entrance Hall.

"Draco wait." She called, and he turned on her menacingly.

"I should have known that you were just as moronic as that stupid brother of yours. I should have realized that you would do something so stupid, to what? Hurt my pride? Remind me of some bad past that I had and finally get the one up? You would have done better with another Bat-Bogey Hex. You wench." Draco seethed. His words nearly sent Ginny to tears.

"You can't possibly think I had anything to-" She was cut off.

"I could care less what you were planning. I've already told you, and that stupid piece of shit of a friend you have, go bloody _fuck_ off!" Draco turned on his heel one last time, and Ginny was left standing there. Shell shocked by what she heard, the only thing she had in her was the ability to make it back to her room, before anyone saw her break down completely.

* * *

Shane shook his head as he watched the two who _were_ a couple walk out of the Great Hall. He turned to Colleen then and gave a sigh. 

"Holy shit. We just broke them up, didn't we?" Shane asked looking confused.

"Yeah, I guess we did." Colleen mumbled.

"I didn't even know they were together." Shane said not hearing her.

"Neither did I." Colleen said looking down at the crinkled wrapper in her hand. "We really screwed up, didn't we?"

" 'We?' " Shane asked.

"Well, you did go along with my plan." Colleen argued.

"To screw with Draco's head, not with his relationship with Ginny. She shouldn't have been any part of this other then to laugh along with us at the end." Shane said defending Ginny.

"You had to know she was going to have some connection here." Colleen stated.

"Not anything big, not anything that would ruin her feelings or confuse her."

"You kissed her you moron. You had to of known that it was going to be because Draco liked her. Don't go blaming this on me. I'm not the only one at fault." Colleen attempted to not take all the blame.

"I knew Draco liked her, I didn't know that Ginny felt the same about him. If I'd known, we wouldn't have to go through this, he would have left us alone. God, you had this all planned out, right to the tee with time and everything. Even knew that by telling me to find her and kiss her by nine that he would see it. But they were dating." Shane had completely confused himself. He had told himself that the only reason why he didn't date Slytherin girls anymore was because they were conniving and devious. Apparently, Slytherin girls weren't the only ones.

"I didn't know either! Why would do that to my best friend?" Colleen yelled, and Shane only shook his head at her. He stepped up to the brown-haired girl and smiled at her.

"You're the asshole." Shane said, using Colleen's words against her.

"What?" Colleen asked confused.

"You know what that means." Shane said, and walked out of the Masquerade. Colleen couldn't believe it. Had he just broken up with her?


	11. The Final Twist

Me: Okay I'm sorry for the long wait, but her is something unexpected. And thanks to **opinion8ed14 **for reminding me of my lack to update.

Just to save time Colleen & **Ginny.** So don't get confused!

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Masquerade

Chapter 11: The Final Twist

Mallory couldn't believe her own ears. According to what Hermione and Ron had witnessed, an extremely angry Draco had stormed out of the Great Hall with a worried Ginny following, and Shane had broken up with Colleen only seconds after having an huge fight. From what Hermione assumed had been going on, Colleen and Shane had planned some extravagant plan to get back at Draco for his meddling in their relationship, but they used Ginny to get to him. Only Ginny didn't know what they were doing, and had already been dating Draco at the time that the two had tried to get them together, only to constantly try and pull them apart again.

Mallory nodded her head knowingly at the older students, and went up to her shared dorm room to see if she could somehow fix all of this. What she was faced with when she walked in was a loud sobbing noise coming from behind Colleen's bed hangings, and an overly pissed Ginny pushing past her to leave the room. Quickly deciding that Ginny would probably be the smarter choice, she turned back around and headed down after her.

"Ginny, hold up." Mallory called as she skipped a few steps to catch her.

"Leave me alone." Ginny nearly croaked at Mallory. "I don't want to talk." Ginny's voice wasn't overly angry or sad, but it still sounded weird to Mallory.

"Fine." Mallory answered back and started walking next to her friend in silence. Irked by Mallory being there, Ginny rolled her eyes.

"I'm going to Quidditch practice, just so you know. You won't be able to stand next to me the whole time." Ginny glanced at her friend, and saw that she was still being quiet. "Oh for the love of Merlin. I'm talking now so you may as well."

"Well, good then." Mallory said. She was going to ask her a question about Draco when she was cut off.

"As along as we don't talk about him." Ginny added, and Mallory smiled.

"Who?" she asked playing dumb. Ginny just glared at the girl."Alright then, if you won't answer that, than answer why we are headed to Quidditch practice on a Sunday?"

"Harry schedule it. He said that we all should be ready for next weekend and practice everyday till Friday. Then on Friday we give ourselves a day off for Saturday's game." Ginny exclaimed with mild interest in the conversation.

"Well, seeing as you'll probably be a player down. Why not just forfeit?" Mallory asked, not knowing the first thing about sports.

"First of all, Gryffindor's never forfeit, and secondly, why would we be a player down?" Ginny said as if Mallory herself were some ignorant Hufflepuff.

"Colleen isn't exactly in a state to play, is she? She's probably not going to want to see the walls of our dorm room, let alone play next Saturday." Mallory stated plainly, and Ginny was pissed off even more.

"That bitch better show her face sometime before then, or I'll have Harry kick her off the team." Mallory was taken back by Ginny's words, and nearly tripped over her own feet when she saw her friends words catch someone else's attention.

The two had been heading down the school's large staircase when Shane had come around the corner in front of them. At first it looked like he was going to try and get as far away from the two as possible, but when he heard Mallory say Colleen's name he slowed his pace and attempted to listen into their conversation.

At Ginny's outburst, he had stopped abruptly, and Mallory had nearly collided with him. He turned toward Ginny with a face that could only be described as completely blank. "_Colleen,_" he said with a voice that sounded completely hurt, "may have done something completely stupid by screwing with you and Draco, but she never meant to hurt you. Neither did I for that matter, but you need to cut the innocent act, go back up to her and talk to her. This all is just about as much of your fault as it is hers and mine." He said it with such a power that Ginny seemed to be incapable of speech.

"What?" Mallory asked confused. She glanced between Ginny and Shane. "How is this Ginny's fault?" Shane smirked her his charming Slytherin mouth.

"You might want to take a look at these." Shane said to Mallory and handed her a couple of scraps of parchment that he had tucked in his book bag. "See you around, Gin-Gin." With the final word, Shane took off towards the Dungeons.

_The Letters that started it all._

Oh my Merlin Ginny, how are you taking notes right now?

Binn is so boring that I wish I could kill myself.

Did you do your Potions homework?

Substitutes for beetle eye's and snake skin...There's only four, right?

**Four? I got five?**

**Oh well...Anyway I have story to tell you.**

**You know how I went to send a letter to my brothers about my dress?**

**Well, I bumped into Draco on the way out of the Owlery and...**

**Well, he kind of caught me, and ...saved me from falling**

**Am I delusional?**

Doubtful, it probably really did happen. Unless it was a dream.

But why would you dream about Draco saving you?

**I really don't think it was a dream.**

**But why? Why is he going around acting all charming lately. Well, to me anyways.**

**The other day when we passed in the hall, he smiled at me.**

**Not smirked, but SMILED!**

Creepy.

Well, I don't know about you, but I've never liked the kid.

He use to like follow me to classes and

he asked me out when he knew I was with Shane.

He just gives off bad vibes. But he's got a nice bod.

**No kidding. When I bumped into him, it was like bumping into a brick wall.**

**It was kinda of nice though.**

**But I wanna know what he's up to. What he's thinking.**

Well, there is a way to find out.

**Really? How?**

Well, Shane is pretty good friends with Goyle.

He could talk to him, see if he can get something out of him.

Usually Goyle has some story about Draco he's dying to tell.

I still don't understand how he trust those two clowns, but oh well.

It works to our advantage.

**Okay, but don't have him let on that, you know, I like him back or anything.**

I won't...Wait, what?

_A few days Later_

So...Shane had a pretty good talk with Goyle Yesterday.

Can I borrow your pink candy nail polish?

**If you tell me what he said. Then yes, you can.**

Well! Apparently, Draco's been crushing on you for a while, but he hasn't acted on it since your brother is such an ass.

He's actually been kind of sulking about it

**So...How can I get him alone then?**

I'm glad you asked. I have a plan.

As long as you don't have a problem with pain.

**The fact that you added that scares me.**

**Why should I have a problem with pain?**

Let's just say I see a Quidditch accident in your future.

Only, it needs to be a controlled situation. No funny, fake crap. It needs to look real. Think you can do it?

**I'll need help, but yeah, I'm up for it.**

Mallory glared over at Ginny.

"So Malfoy was right. Your 'attempt' to dodge the bludger was completely planned. You did it on purpose! You even had Goyle involved, didn't you?" Ginny didn't say anything to her friend. She just stared on in shock. "Ginny!" Mallory exclaimed.

Ginny jumped at her friends shout. She opened her mouth to say something, looking like she was about to explain it to her, when she stopped and trudged down the steps they were on.

"I have practice." Ginny said and disappeared from sight.

Mallory shoved the scraps in her pocket, and headed after her intent on finding out everything before she could judge anyone. Who's fault was it?

Hanging onto every word that had just been said, Draco was shocked at the conversation he had just stumbled upon. Just as he was about to apologize to Ginny, and try to talk to her calmly, he finds out that he isn't the one who needs to be apologizing. If Draco didn't know better, he would assume that he had just been played by the sister of his enemy.

Suffice to say, Draco was no longer a 'happy camper.'


	12. Curtain Call

Masquerade

Chapter 12: Curtain Call

Disgusted by her friends' antics, Mallory flopped down on the steps. Today couldn't possibly get any worse than this. Finding out that your friend is a lying, conniving, and overly-dramatic silly little girl is one thing, but both of them? Mallory thought Ginny had more sense than that. How could she possibly not? Letting out a deep sigh, she pulled the letters out of her pocket. From what she could see, as she skimmed through them, the others were just as bad as the first two she read, and it didn't make her want to read them anymore.

Seeing Ginny's mousey brunette friend sitting down, reading through the letters and noting that no one else was around, Draco came out of his hiding spot and sat down next to her.

"I don't suppose those are about me?" Draco asked giving the girl a sideways glance. Mallory nearly jumped out of her skin when she realized who had taken the seat next to her.

"Uh, no, well. I mean yes, they are, but…Actually. How'd you know?" Mallory stopped and stared down at one of the lines.

_He just gives off bad vibes. But he's got a nice bod._

Glancing sideways and taking a quick look, Mallory had to agree, but she wasn't about to get in the middle of this.

"A little owl told me." Draco said extending his hand to take the papers.

"Here." Mallory said handing the papers over. "You'll probably find these interesting."

"I should hope so." Draco said taking the papers and watching as the Gryffindor walked back up the stairs. Once she was gone, he's attention fell back to the letters in his hands. They were scribbled on completely with blotch marks and drawings filling the pages. The first two came to be no surprise for him. He knew he was right about the way she collided with him. No one could possibly have done such a perfect spiral downwards, unless planned. If only he could have proven that to Madame Hooch at the time, than maybe he would have felt too smug to have notice the innocent way she slept, and how stricken he felt to hear her calling for help, and screaming in her sleep.

His mind suddenly wandered to the night of the ball and everything that had happened in the past couple of weeks. Dating Ginny, pretending to date Colleen (for Merlin knows why). It was all just some game they girls created to mess with him. Than at the ball when Colleen got revenge on him. How he had tasted the bittersweet taste of dark chocolate just before he fell into the nightmarish world that haunted him.

It seemed that everything was surreal. Hogwarts, his haven, was gone, both of his parents had been dead, and stupid Potter stood over him, cackling at his misfortunes. Dream-Potter's arm had been slung around Ginny's neck, and she along with all of her cowardly friends laughed at him. He was alone in his pain. He couldn't speak to defend himself or call them the names that were floating through his mind. He couldn't even move for as much as he could tell and a large sense of never being able to go back to the life that he once had, started to seep through him. He was forever to live as an out cast, homeless, penniless, and alone.

The chocolate had given him some painful thoughts, but it was nothing like the dreams he normally had.

Looking back on it now, he knew it was all ridiculous, if his parents died he would inherit a fortune, and so what if people laughed? What did he care what they thought of him? Yet, there was something about the dream he couldn't get over; Ginny's smiling face as she stood with someone else. For some reason, that was the only thing he couldn't seem to let go.

Draco got up from his spot on the stairs and headed as fast as possible out of Hogwarts castle and towards the Quidditch Pitch where he knew Ginny would be. Even if she had played some silly little game, it wasn't her who was seeking revenge, it was Colleen. Ginny wasn't to blame.

He knew he had to go to Ginny now, and be the only mature one in the group willing to set things straight.

Draco hated to admit it, but if Shane hadn't calmed him down after the Masquerade, he probably wouldn't be able to forgive Ginny.


	13. The Final Bow

Alas, I've actually finished a chaptered story. Yes, here it is! Now go read some of my other stories, and comment and stuff. It'll make my life right now!

* * *

When you try – don't try to say you won't  
Try to crawl into my head  
When you cry – cause it's all built up inside  
Your tears already said – already said

You Are The One-Shiny Toy Guns

Chapter 13: The Final Bow

Ginny was steaming as she speed around the Quidditch Pitch practicing her diving, and throwing techniques. She had been getting more and more aggressive as she went, and couldn't seem to stop her self. At one point, she'd thrown the ball so hard, that she had fallen off her own broom. If her wand hadn't been tucked into her robes, she wouldn't have been able to _Accio_ her broom in time to miss the ground.

"Oye, slow it down out there." Harry called to Ginny when he saw that she was maxing out the speed of her broom. If she wasn't careful, she could really hurt someone, including herself.

Ginny wasn't listening to him, or anyone else for that matter. All she cared about was working out her anger, and she was doing so by throwing herself into her Quidditch Practice. She ducked, dived, and slung-shot herself around the goal posts trying to test out her own vulnerabilities. As hard as she tried, she just couldn't get the irksome feeling to leave her, and she knew deep inside she was only a thought away from breaking down and crying out the heartache. She hoped her pain wouldn't result in that.

_Had she really felt so much for Draco Malfoy? _

It was thinking like that which made her so reckless in the first place. Had it really been only a month ago that she had been cooped up in the Hospital Wing with him; the place where they had shared their first kiss.

She shook her head of the thoughts for the third time that day.

" The Quidditch Pitch is off limits Malfoy, even if your not playing next weekend." Harry had been yelling across the pitch at the slim figured body below him. Ginny had a feeling this was Harry's way of informing her that Draco had stopped by. The only problem was he informed the entire team (or at least those who had showed up). She and the rest of the team immediately stopped practicing and stared over at Draco to see what was going on.

Draco gave a clipped smile to Harry at his witty repartee. "Well, seeing as your going to lose next weekend any way. Mind if I steal Ginny from this circus you call a practice?" Harry turned to look at Ginny, and his expression was wordlessly asking her what she wanted.

Ginny rolled her eyes at all of this. Had she suddenly stepped into someone's weird idea of a fantasy where she was the one being protected by the gallant Harry Potter from the evil and conniving Draco Malfoy, when in reality, she was the evil one. Well, her and Colleen that is.

"I'm leaving." Ginny announced to the entire team. Who was she to leave them out now that they had butted in. Harry frowned at Ginny as she landed near Draco on the ground. He watched as the two walked out in silence, and felt he had to break it some how.

"Practice again Tuesday! Don't think you're getting away with leaving early today." Ginny waved a hand in Harry's direction to stop his rants.

The two made it out to a secluded area of land not far from Hagrid's hut before either one said anything.

"So." Ginny started, wondering what his sudden appearance was all about. Especially since he made it pretty clear that he didn't want to see her ever again. Ginny glanced at the parchment in Draco's hand and sighed. She recognized the notes loopy and tight fitted words almost instantly. She knew how childish those notes seemed to others, but to her they were the deep seeded truths that only her and Colleen would understand completely.

"Look, though's letters were written by two moronic girls who were bored with their lives and wanted to spice things up, but I didn't know that Colleen had another agenda behind it all. She never told me her true plans. I thought she was doing this for me, which is why I was so willing to help her on her _fake_ father problems with Shane. Had I known even partially what she was up to, I would've tried to stop her. I don't think she counted on me falling in love with you-" Ginny stopped. Draco froze. Both were taken back by her words. Ginny tried again to see if she could back track a bit.

" I mean... What I meant was... What I was trying to say is I'm sorr-" Ginny didn't get to finish her sentence as her words were cut short by Draco's kiss.

"Apology accepted." Draco murmured when he pulled away.

When Colleen did finally make it out of bed that day and showered, she half wondered if her and Shane weren't meant-to-be after all. Maybe Ginny had been right? Colleen dressed and made it down to the Great Hall where she was spotted by Harry and forced to go change so he could help her get some practice in before the sun went down. She really hadn't been in the mood for it, but she did as she was told. She found out really quick how bad practice could be when Harry had no one else to focus his coaching skills on but her. With aching bones Colleen made it back up to her dorm room where she threw herself into her homework to avoid the looks from the other girls in the room.

Days went by in a blur of classes and practices for Colleen. Outcast-ed by rumors of what she did, Colleen found herself sitting alone for most of her classes. The only person even willing to work with her in Potion's was her teammate Shannon. It was a nice gesture, but Colleen didn't want or deserve her sympathy, and she knew it. Walks to the Great Hall were more bearable than the classes themselves, until the first time she spotted Draco and Ginny arm-in-arm with one another chatting amongst themselves. Her eyes burned again, she would have been crying had she not done enough of that to completely dry up her tear ducts.

How was it possible that a couple like Draco and Ginny could make it through awkward times, while her relationships, especially the one with Shane, seemed to rock back and forth all the time. Maybe she'd been fated to live alone all a long. Depression swelled around Colleen, and she decided to take the rest of Friday off.

Lucky for everyone else in the school, Saturday came and the final Quidditch match of the season was here. The crowd smeared together in a mass of Gryffindor and Ravenclaw colors. Even Draco Malfoy held a gold and maroon scarf between his fingers.

With the routine toss of the Quaffle, the game started and everyone was off in speeds that only muggle cars could compare to. Quickly Gryffindor was up by thirty points, but Ravenclaw had not given up. Woollongong Shimmies were seen all over the place as Chaser's were deflected, but still the ball made it's way around as if it were flying on its own. The Ravenclaws had somehow perfected their reverse passes, and were throwing the ball backwards, forwards, and sometimes up to their teammates before the Gryffindors saw it coming. Like most of the Ravenclaw moves, they were straight from the book, and it didn't take long for the Gryffindors to catch on. With all the Quaffle movement, the Beater's were having trouble keeping up with the bludgers flying overhead. It was reckless, it was violent, it was intense. It was Quidditch at it's finest.

Two hours into the game when the momentum had gotten even higher, the Seekers had still not seen the elusive Golden Snitch, and many were becoming worried that this may go on all day. Others were extremely pleased at that fact. A ripple of dead silence suddenly took the crowd, Harry had spotted the Snitch and was weaving and diving after the glint of gold with a velocity that left the audience almost unable to keep up with him. The other players paid no mine to the Seekers. This was the time that Ravenclaw always evened their score, always taking advantage of the awed crowd to sneak in and steal a few goals. The Beaters were taking a full beating themselves trying to keep up with the Ravenclaws Bludger passes that rocketed around the pitch. In an instant of under estimation, Emmett (the Gryffindor teams second Beater) let the Bludger pass by him. Colleen's head turned at hearing Emmett's disgruntled bark. She was off in the direction before her eyes even focused, if Ginny kept on her path toward the Ravenclaw goal posts, she was going to come in contact with that same Bludger. If Colleen wasn't there in time, Ginny was a goner for sure.

It happened in the time it took someone to yelp for Ginny. Colleen jumped in front of the Bludger meant for Ginny, and took the full brunt of the impact. Everything for her went black as Harry caught the Snitch.

Colleen wasn't really sure why she was in a dark black space, and hearing voices. If she had listened hard enough she could have recognized them and differentiated the sounds, but her body had more interest in her health, and she blacked out again.

Nearly a day later, Colleen's eyes slipped open in the Hospital Wing of Hogwarts castle. The first face she recognized was Shane, and she immediately convinced herself that she was so drugged on something she was seeing people.

"Hey, her eyes are open! Do you think she's awake?" A familiar voice chirped from somewhere she couldn't see.

"No, she's sleeping with her eyes open hun, we all do it when we've been attacked by Bludgers." Ginny's sarcastic tone quieted Mallory for the moment.

"Oh thank Merlin, Colleen. You're awake." Shane said taking Colleen's hand. It was the good thing he was on her other side, or the arm movement would have caused a wave of pain to flow through her body.

"Wa-" Colleen tried to say, but the word wouldn't come to her.

"Did she say water?" Colin asked from beside Mallory. All at once three people tried to pour some out and hand it to her. Only she didn't extend her hand for it.

"Oh, straw, duh!" Mallory exclaimed, having forgotten her moment of silence. They placed the straw at Colleen's lips and let her sip a little before waiting for her to try and speak again. She cleared her throat.

"What happened? We win?" Colleen's groggy question took them all by surprised. They didn't expect her to have forgotten.

"Did she hit her head?" Colin mumbled into Mallory's ear. Mallory shrugged.

"You dove in front of a Bludger that was coming for me, and than started to fall. So, I caught you." Ginny said sheepishly. She suddenly felt very awkward standing there in front of the person she was supposed to be mad at, but couldn't find the anger for anymore.

"And, yes, we won." Shane added with a smile and a kiss to her forehead. Colleen gave him a bewildered look. Then, she turned her gaze to everyone else.

With one act of bravery, suddenly they were all speaking to her again? Was this a joke?

"Aren't you all mad at me?" Colleen finally asked staring between them. "Because you don't have to be. Just because I saved Ginny from a Bludger. I mean she caught me, so it evens out after all."

"Actually, it's funny you should bring that up." Mallory said with a smile. "We," she pointed between herself, Colin, and Ginny. " Have decided that you're off the hook.

"Why?"

"Well, I kind of told them everything." Ginny added while biting her lip.

"Everything?" Colleen asked and tried to sit up at the same time. She winced as a flood of pain raked through her.

"Don't do that! You have four broken ribs, a punctured lung, and you cracked your hip." Shane said forcing her back down.

"Well, I gave them all the details, not just the notes, but our...er...journal as well." Colleen gave Ginny an awestruck look.

"Yeah, we were shocked that the notes were only a sneak peak, but some of the stuff you put in their about you and Shane was pretty intense." Colin rambled out before he could stop himself. They all glared at him. Colleen sighed in defeat.

"Ugh, everything." She mumbled as she rested her eyes.

"Don't worry, I'm burning it when I get back to Gryffindor tower." Ginny said quietly.

"What about you?" Colleen asked Shane now. "I thought it was really over forever. Why are you here?" Shane smirked and placed another soft kiss on her forehead.

"I had a little talk with Malfoy." Shane glanced at Ginny when he said this. "And well, I've seen the light." Shane smirked at this thought. How stupid did he sound. "Plus, I missed you like crazy."

"I can't believe I'm saying this," Colleen mumbled. "Remind me to thank Malfoy, G." Everyone laughed at this, for Colleen really sounded horror struck now.

"Wait. G? Just G? No G-dawg, or G-Wizzle?" Colin asked.

"Oh, come on C-dude. I'm recovering from injuries, don't make me have to force something girly on you." Colleen defended herself weakly, and everyone laughed a second time.

As if it were meant to be, the little gaggle of friends had become just that once again. Best friends.


End file.
